[Peka]

Wow, 20 yrs with a Super A. I bought one recently and was using it yesterday with the motor A. I love it.

I am keeping and USING good lenses even longer, such as the A 50mm 1,7 and the A 35-105mm 3,5 !

[frank5]

I am keeping and USING good lenses even longer, such as the A 50mm 1,7 and the A 35-105mm 3,5 !

I have both those lenses and use them regularly...

[heinamj]

I have bought a used K3 a few weeks ago.
It is only my 3rd pentax camera in 33 years, following a Super A that served me 20 years and a K110 that served me 13 years. Both are still in very good shape.
I do change a body when I feel that I REALLY need some more functions or better performance: I think it will be a long time before I will reach the limits of the K3.

Wow! I hope you enjoy the K3 as much as the others!

[Roadboat24]

Well, I'm already old, but, yes.

[Eriol]

Absolutely! I love my K-3, it is an extremely good camera. It was the last Pentax DSLR of this series with built-in flash ... Therefore, the K-3 II was out of the question for me. I have come to terms with all the shortcomings of the K-3, the biggest shortcoming is usually myself anyway ;-)

Of course I have a very good external flash - but on trips and with light luggage I prefer to take one more lens than the external flash, and then the internal flash must suffice in case of emergency ...

Eriol

[WRB]

I have sold or traded istDS, K-10, K-20, K-5, but my K-3 is still with me along with my K-1.

[heinamj]

I have sold or traded istDS, K-10, K-20, K-5, but my K-3 is still with me along with my K-1.

The K1 and K3 combo is fabulous... K3 is smaller, lighter and higher frame rate to complement the K1.
Maybe one day I'll find a good used K-1 cheap, but, until then I'm very pleased with my K70 (articulating screen, Wifi, better ISO) backing up my K3...

[Jonathan Mac]

I don't know how long my K-3 will last but I can see the mark III being a camera to grow old with.

[Jonathan Mac]

Yesterday my K-3 and DA 35mm fell around a metre while I was getting in the lift of my building. Fell straight down and smacked into the steel doorway, not just the floor but the frame of the lift door where there's no give at all. I was sure it would have suffered something but as far as I can tell there's not a new scratch on it.

[JimJohnson]

Having acquired a used K-1, I DEFINETLY plan to hang on to my original version K-3. Pentax has missed the boat by not creating a small flash to be used as a wireless P-TTL master/controller. To wirelessly control an off camera flash, the ONLY choices are:
* carry two P-TTL flash units with at least one having wireless master/controller capability - which generally speaking is also the flash you want to use off-camera, so two bulky flash units.
OR carry two non-Pentax flash units with built-in proprietary RF triggers (e.g. Godox) - which are nearly as bulky as two P-TTL Pentax flashes
* carry two Pentax compatible TTL flash radio units (about as bulky as carrying another bulky P-TTL flash) to control the off-camera flash
* give up the idea of wireless flash control and use a P-TTL compatible hotshoe extension cable - and know the cable will always be tugging at the camera as you are trying to compose.
* go really old school with manual flash control

[JRTom]

I worked at a suburban camera store that was selling a lot of Pentax camera's and we were competing with a large discount electrical dealer and a large photographic chain store in the area .We couldn't compete selling Canon and Sony on price , but Pentax were available through traditional camera stores and it was a game changer for us and the Australian distributor as the other dealers were not interested in stocking Pentax .Using a camera and taking pictures can sometimes involve a lot of different factors .The best camera is the one that fits your needs ,budget or some of the things that I chose with the K-3 the SR ,smaller metal lenses etc .I borrowed a K-3 with 18-135 lens for the weekend and didn't want to part with it , sold my Nikon D750 kit and bought some more lenses and a flash for the K-3 .Had a full frame camera sold it for an APSC ? and was using a Canon 5D mk11 as a work camera as well as a Leica S2 and I own a Pentax K-3 - sometimes things aren't always obvious at first .Still love the camera but always invest in the best glass you can afford - my motto .Good luck !

[doroth2]

i love my k3! Even sold the k1 in favor of keeping the k3. i hope it lasts a long long time,

[pkboy]

i love my k3! Even sold the k1 in favor of keeping the k3. i hope it lasts a long long time,

may I ask why? I'm looking to switch.. well to the k1-mkii

[microlight]

For my kind of photography, I can’t justify dropping a couple of grand on a K-3III, even with its new-and-shiny attraction. And while my K-3II performs as well as it does; it’s very much a keeper. (It’s not an original K-3 but close enough!)

[Yoda boy]

While there have been improvements to the 2nd and 3rd version of the K3, the first is still a very viable product. When all is said and done, it still is capable of taking very nice photos. Additionally, the inclusion of a built in flash is a very convenient feature that is not available in newer versions. Therefore, if you have this and wish to add another body, by all means do so, but keep the original until it no longer works. For field work, I like having two bodies at the ready ( with a wide angle and a telephoto lens ) so that I can switch back and forth quickly and with no risk of getting dust on the sensor.