[Kingston 1000]

I was delighted with the announcement of the K3, and decided I just had to have one. I had a K5 which I passed on to my son when I got a K30. I also picked up a K01 when the price was so low I couldn't resist. I have the 15,21,40 and 70 Limiteds which are incredible. I shoot mostly Raw plus JPEG and do minimal post-processing. I normally use Hyper-program or TAV, centre point focus and re-compose as needed. I use the 18-135 when I just want to take one lens, or the weather looks doubtful. To top it off, I have a 20 by 30 inch framed picture, taken with my first DSLR, an ist*dl with the kit lens which looks pretty good.

What I miss from the K5 is the quiet shutter and the ultrasonic dust removal. Apart from that, the K30, as the Forum review notes, is 90% a K5. For an amateur, who doesn't need 8fps, fast video, or two card slots, does the K3 offer something more? BTW, the K30 is not going to be replaced by a K3; it is just too great a camera.

[Adam]

I was delighted with the announcement of the K3, and decided I just had to have one. I had a K5 which I passed on to my son when I got a K30. I also picked up a K01 when the price was so low I couldn't resist. I have the 15,21,40 and 70 Limiteds which are incredible. I shoot mostly Raw plus JPEG and do minimal post-processing. I normally use Hyper-program or TAV, centre point focus and re-compose as needed. I use the 18-135 when I just want to take one lens, or the weather looks doubtful. To top it off, I have a 20 by 30 inch framed picture, taken with my first DSLR, an ist*dl with the kit lens which looks pretty good.

What I miss from the K5 is the quiet shutter and the ultrasonic dust removal. Apart from that, the K30, as the Forum review notes, is 90% a K5. For an amateur, who doesn't need 8fps, fast video, or two card slots, does the K3 offer something more? BTW, the K30 is not going to be replaced by a K3; it is just too great a camera.

While the K-3 plays catchup in a few areas (focus peaking, manual video controls), it does have a bunch of new features not found in the K-30 (new AF system, more durable shutter, wireless tethering, etc.). The difference in image quality won't be huge, but it'll definitely be there. If you're interested in the K-3 I'd recommend waiting for our in-depth review and take it from there!

[jatrax]

does the K3 offer something more?

I think the question that has to be asked by each of us is "What will this new camera do that I cannot do with my current camera?"

Of course, if it's a 'want' instead of a 'need' then why worry about it? Just order the darn thing

I'm looking forward to 24mp, the tethering options, and to see how the new AF works. I don't 'need' either but that's the excuse I'm using and I'm sticking to it

[jatrax]

waiting for our in-depth review

And that will be....................??

[carrrlangas]

When is a camera too much camera?

most of the time?

[Adam]

And that will be....................??

Assuming the production K-3 arrives in the US on November 1st, you'll probably see the review in the middle of the month. Might also have some first impressions as early as next week.

[LFLee]

Image wise, flagship model has 14 bit raw.
Operation wise, more buttons to access settings, top panel, hand grip option, front and back remote receiver. (but I like the AA option in K-r,K-30,K50)

[rawr]

does the K3 offer something more

Bigger files

[jatrax]

you'll probably see the review in the middle of the month. Might also have some first impressions as early as next week

Thank you, looking forward to it!

Bigger files

[Col]

For an amateur, who doesn't need 8fps, fast video, or two card slots, does the K3 offer something more? BTW, the K30 is not going to be replaced by a K3; it is just too great a camera.

Do you mean "apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, wine, public order, irrigation, the fresh-water system, and public health, what have the Ricohs ever done for us?"

Given that you state you do minimal PP & Shoot Raw+, the K3 looks to be the most powerful jpeg engine yet 24Mp multi zoon WB (ta Ricoh) 86k colour metering. As you're not needing 8.3fps then there are a serious number of in camera corrections, for lens or lighting, you can apply immediately.

I mean the Roads (ruggedness) go without saying.

[Kingston 1000]

Thanks for all the great comments. That K3 is going to be here in time for Christmas, if not sooner!

[normhead]

For the amateur, I would think the big things would be the ability to use wider lenses, do a 20% crop, and have the same IQ as a K-5 image. Your 18-55 kit lens, will give you the same image size and IQ as a 70 on your K-5 should you choose to crop it to 16 Mp. The ability to crop larger sections of the image just makes every lens a lot more flexible, and essentially gives every lens 20% more reach. If you were happy with your 18-250 on a K-5, but really wanted a 300, your K-3 with an 18-250 will give you the image you would have had to buy a 300 for before.

[stevebrot]

The ability to crop larger sections of the image just makes every lens a lot more flexible, and essentially gives every lens 20% more reach.

Heck! Why stop at 16 Mpixels? Go all the way to 10 Mpixels and really get the reach!


Steve

(BTW...are you sure about the math?)

[Col]

Heck! Why stop at 16 Mpixels? Go all the way to 10 Mpixels and really get the reach!


Steve

(BTW...are you sure about the math?)

Can you crop larger?

Maths apart, that's my thinking I originally got the DA*300 with my K10D, so it started as 450mm and if I now look to crop the K3 down to a K10D resolution its some 1074mm then add the AF1.7xTC I'm at 1826mm!

I wish Pentax remembered they made TCs and I could enter the focal length down to the mm.

[GeneV]

That all assumes the lens is up to that crop. I have had a similar thought when reading how the little superzoom P&S cameras get to the equivalent of a 1000mm lens from 180mm, and wondered how well a similar length lens would crop from APS-C. 24mp would give me a pretty good crop before getting to the number of pixels of my old K100d, which I liked pretty well at the time.