K-3 good for video?

**Mutters** · 06-26-2014, 09:19 PM

Originally posted by gosman

I've asked a simple question. I don't expect this camera to be a Stephen Spielberg special. I just would like to know what is the best setting for home movies.

Probably auto everything is the way to go for home movies.
There is no "quality" setting, but there are Full HD and HD sizes if you need to consider file size.
Frame rate is something to consider as well. Personally I'd avoid the 50/60i setting.
Although there are claims that it is better for smooth motion, I found it very ordinary.
24/25/30 fps at 1080p gives the best quality per frame.
Also, your lens choice should be one with the widest aperture, especially indoors.

AB

grispie · 06-26-2014, 11:51 PM

Originally posted by gosman

I've asked a simple question. I don't expect this camera to be a Stephen Spielberg special. I just would like to know what is the best setting for home movies.

Just put it on AV mode
720p / 30fps is fine
picture profile muted & enhance a bit afterwards. Or natural if you're not planning to enhance later on..
WB auto
either put it on a tripod with SR off or handheld: put SR on but then avoid telelenses and avoid moving around too much/too fast.
And a 28mm manual focus lens (focus peaking on) is great to use as video lens.

gosman · 06-27-2014, 08:09 AM

Thanks Mutters and Grispie, I assume the 720p is the HD setting. I was getting some jerky movement in photo shop video but not with Windows video. But after this last CC upgrade, photo shop seems to be doing better. I believe there was an upgrade to improve video in the upgrade announcement.

n17man · 11-03-2014, 04:00 AM

I agree with almost everything that has been said about the Pentax K3. It is a fantastic camera and it produces high quality video. I have made about 25 videos so far using it. All of them for private, non-commercial purposes. I am still learning. Oddly enough, the lens I use most on the K3 for filming is a 50mm SMC 1.7 where the manual focus can be used to good effect. Nice bokeh too.

But, I also agree that if you are starting out from scratch the Pentax K3 may not be the way to go. I am primarily a stills photographer and an amateur. Grew up with Pentaxes and have had three digital versions already.

Current setup for video:

Rode VideoMic
50mm SMC lens
Zoom H4N
Manfrotto tripod with video head

Donal

**Mikesul** · 11-03-2014, 06:41 PM

K3 is a great still camera. I like the few videos I have made but they are definitely just for personal fun. If I need professional quality I would get a dedicated video camera.

kadajawi · 11-10-2014, 05:08 PM

I don't like the K-3 for video. The only thing that's nice about it is audio, manual controls and frame rates. In every other aspect the K-5 totally kills the K-3.

The K-5 has a much better codec... file sizes are huge, but it won't fall apart when there is movement, or plenty of details. Banding is a rarer problem with the K-5. K-3 footage looks bad pretty fast.

The K-5 makes use of the full sensor when shooting a video, and doesn't crop.

The K-5 has a real SR for video, it helps a lot removing those small shakes that most other cameras will have, that wobble around. Rolling shutter is thus barely noticeable, unlike on most other cameras. On the other hand the K-3 SR increases rolling shutter artefacts and introduces other artefacts too, and that's physics, it can't be avoided. It will always be inferior, and in fact looks absolutely horrible.

Btw., I have been shooting video for an hour at a time with my K-5 or even used it as a webcam for hours... no problem. Yes, it displayed an overheating symbol, but it still works great.

**Mikesul** · 11-10-2014, 05:13 PM

Video enthusiasts seem unhappy with K3 video but many of us who are mainly still shooters with only casual, video use are very satisfied with K2 videos.

kadajawi · 11-10-2014, 05:35 PM

Originally posted by Mikesul

Video enthusiasts seem unhappy with K3 video but many of us who are mainly still shooters with only casual, video use are very satisfied with K2 videos.

The K-3 isn't awful, but it could be much better with a few tweaks that Pentax refuses to make. And really, if the previous camera is in several regards a much better camera, wouldn't you ask what has gone wrong? I still think the K-5 (II) is the best video DSLR Pentax has ever made, followed by the K-7, and then the newer cameras. And the K-5 can actually compete with current offerings by Canon and Nikon, in some regards, while the K-3 can't. If you have any interest in video without wanting to go for sliders, glidecams and other rigs, get the K-5. You have to suffer through the lack of manual controls, but at least the video will look good!

**Mikesul** · 11-10-2014, 05:49 PM

Originally posted by kadajawi

The K-3 isn't awful, but it could be much better with a few tweaks that Pentax refuses to make. And really, if the previous camera is in several regards a much better camera, wouldn't you ask what has gone wrong? I still think the K-5 (II) is the best video DSLR Pentax has ever made, followed by the K-7, and then the newer cameras. And the K-5 can actually compete with current offerings by Canon and Nikon, in some regards, while the K-3 can't. If you have any interest in video without wanting to go for sliders, glidecams and other rigs, get the K-5. You have to suffer through the lack of manual controls, but at least the video will look good!

I doubt that anything has actually gone wrong. Pentax made a design decision. They appear not to think video is a priority. We have an outstanding DSLR in the K3. I don't care about video especially if it would have lessened the K3 for what it is mainly intended to do. Best apsc dslr.Video a minor bonus. Nice if it can be included unnecessary if it compromises price or still features.

mamethot · 11-10-2014, 06:06 PM

I've waited a long time and hoped Pentax would deliver some improvements for video use but...it hasn't come as of today.

Too bad so sad I invested in a different brand for video duties.

All I can say after having tasted brand X is that Pentax has a long way to go in terms of software and functionalities.

Still I am using my old M and A lenses with my new rig and got the best of both worlds.

---------- Post added Nov 10th, 2014 at 20:10 ----------

Originally posted by Mikesul

I doubt that anything has actually gone wrong. Pentax made a design decision. They appear not to think video is a priority. We have an outstanding DSLR in the K3. I don't care about video especially if it would have lessened the K3 for what it is mainly intended to do. Best apsc dslr.Video a minor bonus. Nice if it can be included unnecessary if it compromises price or still features.

Well it remains puzzling why they put efforts on the hardware part (mic input, headphones, dedicated mode toggle, etc) and leave the owners of nice hardware with an unfinished project. Contradictory imho.

Still hoping for firmware 2.0 but have made my own business decision...

**Mikesul** · 11-10-2014, 06:24 PM

The hardware improvements you describe are clearly for those who are satisfied with the video as it is.

mamethot · 11-10-2014, 06:44 PM

I disagree, I think they are adding stuff incrementally and weren't entirely ready at launch. They chose to delay them until mark II.

I am ok with disagreeing, I will certainly be disapointed if we ever know that you were right lol

**Mikesul** · 11-10-2014, 08:32 PM

If they improve video without harming still capability I would be happy too. But I wonder what percentage of Pentax users actually care very much about better video.

kadajawi · 11-10-2014, 10:34 PM

My main problem is that the K-5 had some great video functionality, but all the cameras that came after it (apart from the K-5 II) had these features deactivated. They are still there, mind you. Turn on Live View on the K-3. It is stabilized. Isn't that stabilized video? You just can't record it, even though the camera is perfectly capable of doing it. Pentax said in a recent interview that is because of the sounds the SR makes, which is picked up by the SR. But I seldom shoot in an environment that is quiet enough that you can actually hear it. And it's not like the microphone on the K-5 at least is good... if I want proper sound, I'd want to record with an external microphone.

The K-3 has some big improvements to sound quality... seems like Pentax is obsessed with sound quality, but they go so far that they sacrifice image quality! Those who really care about the sound quality though wouldn't even think of using whatever their camera offers... they'll use an external recorder!

Then there is MJPEG... clearly the h264 encoder in the K-3 is not really good... I've noticed artefacts coming from errors in the encoder when there is movement involving gradients. Happened on the K-30 too. I've heard some later firmware update fixed that... still it isn't good. The camera is however capable of shooting MJPEG for 4K timelapses, and unless Fujitsu has removed it, it should also be able to record proper MJPEG videos (but the camera is able to save JPEGs...).

I simply think that Pentax has a lack of understanding for what videographers do and want, they wanted to appeal to them, but didn't know how, and wouldn't ask anyone (maybe since Pentax employees are photographers they are used to knowing what they do?). In the end they have made the camera worse for stills shooters who couldn't care less about video (dedicating parts and money for video) while it's not really an option for video people because in the end the quality isn't very good and there is literally nothing that makes the camera appeal to anyone in the video community... pretty much every other brand has a (sometimes cheaper) product that is much more suitable. The improvements that they WOULD be able to do to video, that would actually make the camera interesting, and would not hurt the stills performance, THOSE they didn't do.

TomGarn · 11-29-2014, 10:14 PM

We here still keep on repeating - again and again - and we agree about what ever is said about Pentax as we have tried - and tried -
and tried .... All that can be said in the end maybe something like: Pentax-Video - Just a try and no more future !

In times when we had (have to) live with budget cameras - we could learn about the problems of an unsuccessfull player on the market
that did not have the courage and longevity to learn about video in a DSLR and could not keep up and go ahead with vision and reality.

And the song of the dying swan kept lingering around us for years - till the moment we knew there was no juice in this affordable dream
anymore and we were aware to now let Pentax video die - give it a chance to die - let it relaxxxxx in death - let it sink down and let go ....

06-26-2014, 11:51 PM	#47
grispie Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Posts: 1,199	Originally posted by gosman I've asked a simple question. I don't expect this camera to be a Stephen Spielberg special. I just would like to know what is the best setting for home movies. Just put it on AV mode 720p / 30fps is fine picture profile muted & enhance a bit afterwards. Or natural if you're not planning to enhance later on.. WB auto either put it on a tripod with SR off or handheld: put SR on but then avoid telelenses and avoid moving around too much/too fast. And a 28mm manual focus lens (focus peaking on) is great to use as video lens. Last edited by grispie; 06-26-2014 at 11:51 PM. Reason: addition

11-03-2014, 04:00 AM	#49
n17man New Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Ireland Posts: 10	Pentax K3 Experience I agree with almost everything that has been said about the Pentax K3. It is a fantastic camera and it produces high quality video. I have made about 25 videos so far using it. All of them for private, non-commercial purposes. I am still learning. Oddly enough, the lens I use most on the K3 for filming is a 50mm SMC 1.7 where the manual focus can be used to good effect. Nice bokeh too. But, I also agree that if you are starting out from scratch the Pentax K3 may not be the way to go. I am primarily a stills photographer and an amateur. Grew up with Pentaxes and have had three digital versions already. Current setup for video: Rode VideoMic 50mm SMC lens Zoom H4N Manfrotto tripod with video head Donal

11-10-2014, 10:34 PM	#59
kadajawi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 2,799	My main problem is that the K-5 had some great video functionality, but all the cameras that came after it (apart from the K-5 II) had these features deactivated. They are still there, mind you. Turn on Live View on the K-3. It is stabilized. Isn't that stabilized video? You just can't record it, even though the camera is perfectly capable of doing it. Pentax said in a recent interview that is because of the sounds the SR makes, which is picked up by the SR. But I seldom shoot in an environment that is quiet enough that you can actually hear it. And it's not like the microphone on the K-5 at least is good... if I want proper sound, I'd want to record with an external microphone. The K-3 has some big improvements to sound quality... seems like Pentax is obsessed with sound quality, but they go so far that they sacrifice image quality! Those who really care about the sound quality though wouldn't even think of using whatever their camera offers... they'll use an external recorder! Then there is MJPEG... clearly the h264 encoder in the K-3 is not really good... I've noticed artefacts coming from errors in the encoder when there is movement involving gradients. Happened on the K-30 too. I've heard some later firmware update fixed that... still it isn't good. The camera is however capable of shooting MJPEG for 4K timelapses, and unless Fujitsu has removed it, it should also be able to record proper MJPEG videos (but the camera is able to save JPEGs...). I simply think that Pentax has a lack of understanding for what videographers do and want, they wanted to appeal to them, but didn't know how, and wouldn't ask anyone (maybe since Pentax employees are photographers they are used to knowing what they do?). In the end they have made the camera worse for stills shooters who couldn't care less about video (dedicating parts and money for video) while it's not really an option for video people because in the end the quality isn't very good and there is literally nothing that makes the camera appeal to anyone in the video community... pretty much every other brand has a (sometimes cheaper) product that is much more suitable. The improvements that they WOULD be able to do to video, that would actually make the camera interesting, and would not hurt the stills performance, THOSE they didn't do. Last edited by kadajawi; 11-10-2014 at 10:41 PM.

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06-26-2014, 09:19 PM	#46
Mutters Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Melbourne, Australia Photos: Albums Posts: 262	Originally posted by gosman I've asked a simple question. I don't expect this camera to be a Stephen Spielberg special. I just would like to know what is the best setting for home movies. Probably auto everything is the way to go for home movies. There is no "quality" setting, but there are Full HD and HD sizes if you need to consider file size. Frame rate is something to consider as well. Personally I'd avoid the 50/60i setting. Although there are claims that it is better for smooth motion, I found it very ordinary. 24/25/30 fps at 1080p gives the best quality per frame. Also, your lens choice should be one with the widest aperture, especially indoors. AB

06-27-2014, 08:09 AM	#48
gosman Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Texas Posts: 263	Thanks Mutters and Grispie, I assume the 720p is the HD setting. I was getting some jerky movement in photo shop video but not with Windows video. But after this last CC upgrade, photo shop seems to be doing better. I believe there was an upgrade to improve video in the upgrade announcement.

11-03-2014, 06:41 PM	#50
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	K3 is a great still camera. I like the few videos I have made but they are definitely just for personal fun. If I need professional quality I would get a dedicated video camera.

11-10-2014, 05:08 PM	#51
kadajawi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 2,799	I don't like the K-3 for video. The only thing that's nice about it is audio, manual controls and frame rates. In every other aspect the K-5 totally kills the K-3. The K-5 has a much better codec... file sizes are huge, but it won't fall apart when there is movement, or plenty of details. Banding is a rarer problem with the K-5. K-3 footage looks bad pretty fast. The K-5 makes use of the full sensor when shooting a video, and doesn't crop. The K-5 has a real SR for video, it helps a lot removing those small shakes that most other cameras will have, that wobble around. Rolling shutter is thus barely noticeable, unlike on most other cameras. On the other hand the K-3 SR increases rolling shutter artefacts and introduces other artefacts too, and that's physics, it can't be avoided. It will always be inferior, and in fact looks absolutely horrible. Btw., I have been shooting video for an hour at a time with my K-5 or even used it as a webcam for hours... no problem. Yes, it displayed an overheating symbol, but it still works great.

11-10-2014, 05:13 PM	#52
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Video enthusiasts seem unhappy with K3 video but many of us who are mainly still shooters with only casual, video use are very satisfied with K2 videos.

11-10-2014, 05:35 PM	#53
kadajawi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 2,799	Originally posted by Mikesul Video enthusiasts seem unhappy with K3 video but many of us who are mainly still shooters with only casual, video use are very satisfied with K2 videos. The K-3 isn't awful, but it could be much better with a few tweaks that Pentax refuses to make. And really, if the previous camera is in several regards a much better camera, wouldn't you ask what has gone wrong? I still think the K-5 (II) is the best video DSLR Pentax has ever made, followed by the K-7, and then the newer cameras. And the K-5 can actually compete with current offerings by Canon and Nikon, in some regards, while the K-3 can't. If you have any interest in video without wanting to go for sliders, glidecams and other rigs, get the K-5. You have to suffer through the lack of manual controls, but at least the video will look good!

11-10-2014, 05:49 PM	#54
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	Originally posted by kadajawi The K-3 isn't awful, but it could be much better with a few tweaks that Pentax refuses to make. And really, if the previous camera is in several regards a much better camera, wouldn't you ask what has gone wrong? I still think the K-5 (II) is the best video DSLR Pentax has ever made, followed by the K-7, and then the newer cameras. And the K-5 can actually compete with current offerings by Canon and Nikon, in some regards, while the K-3 can't. If you have any interest in video without wanting to go for sliders, glidecams and other rigs, get the K-5. You have to suffer through the lack of manual controls, but at least the video will look good! I doubt that anything has actually gone wrong. Pentax made a design decision. They appear not to think video is a priority. We have an outstanding DSLR in the K3. I don't care about video especially if it would have lessened the K3 for what it is mainly intended to do. Best apsc dslr.Video a minor bonus. Nice if it can be included unnecessary if it compromises price or still features.

11-10-2014, 06:06 PM	#55
mamethot Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Greater Montreal Area Posts: 736	I've waited a long time and hoped Pentax would deliver some improvements for video use but...it hasn't come as of today. Too bad so sad I invested in a different brand for video duties. All I can say after having tasted brand X is that Pentax has a long way to go in terms of software and functionalities. Still I am using my old M and A lenses with my new rig and got the best of both worlds. ---------- Post added Nov 10th, 2014 at 20:10 ---------- Originally posted by Mikesul I doubt that anything has actually gone wrong. Pentax made a design decision. They appear not to think video is a priority. We have an outstanding DSLR in the K3. I don't care about video especially if it would have lessened the K3 for what it is mainly intended to do. Best apsc dslr.Video a minor bonus. Nice if it can be included unnecessary if it compromises price or still features. Well it remains puzzling why they put efforts on the hardware part (mic input, headphones, dedicated mode toggle, etc) and leave the owners of nice hardware with an unfinished project. Contradictory imho. Still hoping for firmware 2.0 but have made my own business decision...

11-10-2014, 06:24 PM	#56
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	The hardware improvements you describe are clearly for those who are satisfied with the video as it is.

11-10-2014, 06:44 PM	#57
mamethot Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Greater Montreal Area Posts: 736	I disagree, I think they are adding stuff incrementally and weren't entirely ready at launch. They chose to delay them until mark II. I am ok with disagreeing, I will certainly be disapointed if we ever know that you were right lol

11-10-2014, 08:32 PM	#58
Mikesul Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 7,594	If they improve video without harming still capability I would be happy too. But I wonder what percentage of Pentax users actually care very much about better video.

11-29-2014, 10:14 PM	#60
TomGarn Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Hamburg Posts: 339	We here still keep on repeating - again and again - and we agree about what ever is said about Pentax as we have tried - and tried - and tried .... All that can be said in the end maybe something like: Pentax-Video - Just a try and no more future ! In times when we had (have to) live with budget cameras - we could learn about the problems of an unsuccessfull player on the market that did not have the courage and longevity to learn about video in a DSLR and could not keep up and go ahead with vision and reality. And the song of the dying swan kept lingering around us for years - till the moment we knew there was no juice in this affordable dream anymore and we were aware to now let Pentax video die - give it a chance to die - let it relaxxxxx in death - let it sink down and let go ....