[PePe]

A distributor in Helsinki is offering the K-3III for pre-orders at 1999€ VAT incl.
Pentax K-3 III järjestelmäkamerarunko | Top Shot - Kamerakauppa
Availability by the end of March.

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Last edited by PePe; 10-30-2020 at 08:40 AM.

[jwquinn68]

That's a big chunk of change for APS-C. Currently a brand spanking new K1 Mark II with a 28-105 lens, camera bag, 64gb SD card and Paint Shop Pro editing software can be had at an on-line retailor for $2197.00. What's the better choice here?

[Belnan]

A distributor in Helsinki is offering the K-3III for pre-orders at 1999€
Pentax K-3 III järjestelmäkamerarunko | Top Shot - Kamerakauppa
Availability by the end of March.

Could be the final price. The X-T4 is 1849 Fujifilm X-T4 runko hopea | Top Shot - Kamerakauppa

Makes sense the K3-III would be slightly more, the K1 mark ii is 1899 for comparison.

[madad07]

Having had some time to reflect...
Pros = many - AF especially, 1.05 OVF, 12FPS... I don't even need to worry about IQ as it will be stellar.

Cons= this video will persuade precisely zero non pentaxians to buy a pentax... the video is basically "when you take a picture with a dslr you see it with your eyes, with qualities that cannot be measured with numbers." I laughed out loud at this pretentious nothing speak. They're saying nothing - with some lovely background video.

Having ranted... I'm not sure I can stretch that high for a new apsc - my KP will have to do. If I had £2000 I would probably get a K1 ii (or wait for the iii ?? here's hoping!)

[BryantCP]

Fight? no, just pointing out that Pentax has some competition out there and it's a much tougher market.

What would you do if you had no camera gear today and were starting new? If Pentax why? Compared to the other options? That's basically what I'm saying. I'm not trying to start a forum war. I'm saying it's a tough sell these days.

I'm honestly asking the question of what do they offer in 2020 that makes them unique?

I know I'm going to get salem witch trialed and it's close to Halloween but I was asking and observing as to why one would start fresh with Pentax in 2020.

If I had to start from scratch today... I'd probably still pick Pentax if I had the opportunity to compare in-store the Pentax bodies with competing models from other brands. Mainly because of Pentax's superior ergonomics and build quality. Also, for the type of photography I'm mostly interested in they have most of the lens that I need or want. Back in film days I was strictly Nikon, but when I bought my first DSLR an *ist DS it was the much better ergonomics & build quality than the Nikon D40 or D50 and the Canon Rebel that won me over to Pentax. Also the Nikons could not meter with my Nikor AI lens, and Pentax had better compatibility with legacy lens. If I had to change systems now Nikon full frame DSLRs like the D750/D780 are the only somewhat acceptable option. There is nothing else in APSc that interests me.

[Erictator]

If Ricoh museum willing to take my 7yrs. old, battered but still ticking K3 Gen 1 to put in the section "Pentax Reliability", in return half price to me the new beast, I will not complain

Wow, that is awesome, I love the "patina" of your camera, heh. It reminds me of the Hunter Thompson saying:
"“Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming "Wow! What a Ride!”

I think you might just achieve that with your K3 Lotech! Good job!

Eric

[TER-OR]

If Ricoh museum willing to take my 7yrs. old, battered but still ticking K3 Gen 1 to put in the section "Pentax Reliability", in return half price to me the new beast, I will not complain

Wow, even more beat-up than my K5.

I'd like to replace the K5 for my telephoto in the field, and keep the K3-II with the FA100mm macro setup. The K5 still works, mostly, though it has become a little twitchy it still produces beautiful images.

[normhead]

Cons= this video will persuade precisely zero non pentaxians to buy a pentax... the video is basically "when you take a picture with a dslr you see it with your eyes, with qualities that cannot be measured with numbers." I laughed out loud at this pretentious nothing speak. They're saying nothing - with some lovely background video.

Because you know everyone in the world and can speak for all of them?

Let's not get confused about who's pretentious here.

[Belnan]

Could be the final price. The X-T4 is 1849 Fujifilm X-T4 runko hopea | Top Shot - Kamerakauppa

Makes sense the K3-III would be slightly more, the K1 mark ii is 1899 for comparison.

the X-T4 is 1699 usd that might put the K3-III at 1799. Which is about 200 more than I expected. Ofcourse time will tell.

[Serkevan]

That's a big chunk of change for APS-C. Currently a brand spanking new K1 Mark II with a 28-105 lens, camera bag, 64gb SD card and Paint Shop Pro editing software can be had at an on-line retailor for $2197.00. What's the better choice here?

Take into account that European prices include VAT - which is typically in the whereabouts of 20%.

[Yaki]

I am worried about this specification of the viewfinder: Diopter adjustment
Approx. -4.0m to + 1.0m-1
Does it mean that with a + 1.5 diopter I wil not be able to see clear thru it?
If it is not the right thread - I apologize

[thibs]

That's a big chunk of change for APS-C. Currently a brand spanking new K1 Mark II with a 28-105 lens, camera bag, 64gb SD card and Paint Shop Pro editing software can be had at an on-line retailor for $2197.00. What's the better choice here?

The one that suits you.

[reh321]

It's a logical conclusion based on your statement above. My point is that some cameras are better at maintaining colour accuracy than others. Accelerator chip or not is moot. Sometimes I think you miss the point on purpose just to argue. It is quite possible that the cameras with the accelerator chip are more accurate. And it's quite possible the accelerator chip contributes to that. But as afar as I know that's never been demonstrated, so anecdotal evidence from owners is all we have.

I am not surprised by your example.
The 'accelerator' seems to cause "APS-C" cameras to act more like "FF" cameras {whose larger pixels capture more light each}.
The 'accelerator' seems to allow each pixel to make better use of the light they do get.

[Mistral75]

(...)

Leica is Leica. If Rolex or other watchmakers haven't quite gone out of business, I doubt Leica will either. Although they are collaborating with other companies.

(...)

(...)

Did you know they went broke and had to be saved, despite the reputation? I think they can certainly find shelter in a bigger organization, and they already have links with Panasonic. To get the loans for their next projects they're currently at the whim of an equity group, I think. Much safer to be with Panny or similar, who can much more easily go to a banker and extend credit.

(...)

Hah, I had no idea. Today I learned...

A brief history of Leitz / Leica:

Ernst Leitz arrived in Wetzlar in 1864 at the age of 21, became partner in a local optical business in 1865, took it over as sole owner in 1869 and renamed it Ernst Leitz GmbH.

Fast forward almost 120 years. In 1986, Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH contributed their various businesses to three separate subsidiaries: Leica Camera AG, Leica Microsystems GmbH and Leica Geosystems AG.

In 1987, Wild Heerbrugg AG took over Ernst Leitz Wetzlar GmbH which subsequently became Wild Leitz Holding AG.

In 1990 Wild Leitz Holding AG merged with The Cambridge Instrument Company plc and became Leica Holding B. V.

In 1996 Leica Camera AG was spun off from Leica Holding B. V. through an IPO and became a listed company.

In 2000 the French luxury group Hermès took a 31.5% stake in Leica Camera AG following a public offer and they subsequently raised their stake to 36%.

In 2005 Leica Camera AG went almost bankrupt.

In 2006 Andreas Kaufmann's family holding company ACM Projektentwicklung bought Hermès's stake and, through a subsequent takeover offer, raised their stake to 96.5% in 2007.

ACM Projektentwicklung invested tens of millions in Leica Camera AG to turn the company around. Leica Camera AG wasn't profitable until 2010.

In 2011 the US private equity fund Blackstone bought a 44% stake in Leica from ACM Projektentwicklung. Andreas Kaufmann's goal was to recoup the money invested in Leica, make a nice profit and diversify family assets. Indeed, most of the Kaufmann family's fortune, coming from the sale of the family packaging business, had been invested into one single vehicle, Leica Camera AG.

Leica Camera AG was subsequently delisted in 2012.

[Mistral75]

Phase One has been selling "real" medium format stuff for a while and they don't need a lot of volume for it. As long as their stuff is more or less needed for certain stuff they'll be in business (...)

The European mid-market private equity firm Silverfleet Capital acquired a majority investment from Phase One's management team in February 2014. They sold their investment in June 2019 to Axcel, a Danish private equity investment company, generating a money multiple for their clients of 4.6x.

How come they made such a profit? That's mainly because, during the five-year period during which Silverfleet Capital controlled Phase One, Phase One underwent a major shift in their business model. Their software business (Capture One) enjoyed a revenue compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of +38% between 2014 and 2018 and went from contributing 10% of group profits in 2013 to 70% in 2018.