[Ilovemypentax]

I have only tested the K3 for a day. My last Pentax was the K-01. The K3 is a little gem, very happy with it. The AF is very impressive.

One big change I'd like is for Pentax to offer smaller steps with the ISO. Instead of going from 1600 to 3200 offer 2000, 2500 ISO type of steps.

The shutter program dial is kinda flimsy, but it is just a perception thing. If it holds up it does not matter. I'd prefer the DSLR's to have a shutter speed dial and not a program dial, but that is something I like on all my cams. That is why I shoot Fuji and Leica.

That K3 is pretty perfect as-is. All the little menu options don't matter to me. I don't use video, so don't care about that.

If Pentax comes out with more mp down the road maybe they should check out Fuji's proposed organic sensor. In any case, the current sensor is very good. I am happy with this cam and don't care about going FF. I already have FF Leicas and found them not to be a big deal over my Fuji X-E1's. (MM Leica is much sharper than X-E1 with its special sensor.) The crop sensor fits my need as I tend to crop my FF photos some.

[Adam]

One big change I'd like is for Pentax to offer smaller steps with the ISO. Instead of going from 1600 to 3200 offer 2000, 2500 ISO type of steps.

That's already possible. Just go in the custom functions menu, change EV steps to 1/3, and set the ISO to use the same steps as EV's.

What I would like to see is an enhancement to the af mode/af point selection user interface. The fact that the 4-way controlled can be used for so many different things slows you down at times.

[spinno]

surely the iso can be changed in 1/2 and 1/3rd stop increments

[Unsane]

I'd really like to be able to use aperture priority with my M series lenses, but there we go.
As others have said you can switch the ISO sensitivity. What would be nice is the ability to get it even lower than ISO100, being able to do landscapes on ISO50 would be great.

A stock option for a split focus-screen would also be nice, I basically use manual lenses all the time and getting the focus spot-on is a little difficult sometimes.

Apart from that I love my K-3, I love teasing my Canon wielding friends about how little I paid for it even more!

[ablundon]

I've only had my K-3 for a few weeks but love the operation and feel of the camera so far.

I'd like to see them add Newfoundland as a time zone. I've been looking for this since I bought my K-r 4 years ago. I'm stuck with having to set it to Halifax, NS which is 30 minutes behind us.

There is also this issue with the increased shutter lag when using P-TTL flash. There is much more of a delay than with my K-r. I'm hoping a firmware will fix this in the future (unless the issue has been solved and I've missed it).

AB

[AquaDome]

I would like the ability to change the dial-direction for ISO. I programmed aperture and shutter dial-direction to match the meter. If the meter shows too far left or right of center, I can roll either dial in the direction I would like the meter to go. ISO currently programs in only one direction, which is backwards from how I have the dials set.

Dioptric correction range of -3.5 to +3.5. I fear my vision may stray beyond its current -2.8 before I wear out this wonderful camera, which already has a generous -3 to +3 correction.

The silver text is wearing off the INFO and MENU buttons. Maybe that's just from too much love.

[nomadkng]

I have only tested the K3 for a day. My last Pentax was the K-01. The K3 is a little gem, very happy with it. The AF is very impressive.

One big change I'd like is for Pentax to offer smaller steps with the ISO. Instead of going from 1600 to 3200 offer 2000, 2500 ISO type of steps.

The shutter program dial is kinda flimsy, but it is just a perception thing. If it holds up it does not matter. I'd prefer the DSLR's to have a shutter speed dial and not a program dial, but that is something I like on all my cams. That is why I shoot Fuji and Leica.

That K3 is pretty perfect as-is. All the little menu options don't matter to me. I don't use video, so don't care about that.

If Pentax comes out with more mp down the road maybe they should check out Fuji's proposed organic sensor. In any case, the current sensor is very good. I am happy with this cam and don't care about going FF. I already have FF Leicas and found them not to be a big deal over my Fuji X-E1's. (MM Leica is much sharper than X-E1 with its special sensor.) The crop sensor fits my need as I tend to crop my FF photos some.

I posted this in another thread basically asking the same thing:

"I'd PAY for a firmware upgrade that would allow me to Calibrate lenses LIVE in Live View without all the hassles of take a picture, view it on your computer, adjust, repeat.

I'd like 50+ AF points that cover the whole frame because you can never have enough AF points.

I'd like the USER MODES to be push button, instead of on the dial. I can see many many times where'd I'd like to be able to transition between Spot AF and 9 or even 25 Point and/or center weighted/matrix metering.

I'd like to see LOCKS put on the e-dials, my big hands seem to turn them a lot, especially those on the grip as I rotate portrait and landscape orientation. I've gone from 1/2500 @ f8 to 1/250 @ f5 without even knowing. Sometimes it has cost me shots @300mm and fast moving objects.

I miss the dial for AF-S to AF-C, though if they gave me programmable user modes for buttons I wouldn't care so much about this

and I'd like 11FPS..."

[Kozlok]

One feature DESPERATELY needed in the K-3 is a magic portal that makes one show up at my house.

[fgaudet]

I'm with Adam for the 4 way controller sharing too many functions... Although not K-3 specific. I'd love to see 3 or 4 new small button appear on the camera, maybe below the top LCD to allow control over WB, Drive mode, Flash and Color tuning (which may not be needed) and having the 4 way controller only for focus point select when shooting. The K3 dedicated button to switch between mode is an improvement but I find it very awkward to get to it and I always end up hitting MENU.

Another thing that would be nice is if the top LCD was at a slight angle like on the 645. I always keep the back LCD off and in some case, checking the camera settings in the viewfinder is not possible (or difficult) but the TOP display is too "flat" and requires you to check the camera from the top. This is only a very minor thing but hey, if I never ask, I'll never get

And I'd also like to be able to disable the RAW/FX button or expand the available options for it and to be able to re-assign the red button.

And a faster flash sync speed would be nice.

And get put the video mode back on the mode selector... it's a mode why isn't it on the mode selector?

Other than that, the K-3 is pretty awesome as it is

[jpzk]

I've only had my K-3 for a few weeks but love the operation and feel of the camera so far.

I'd like to see them add Newfoundland as a time zone. I've been looking for this since I bought my K-r 4 years ago. I'm stuck with having to set it to Halifax, NS which is 30 minutes behind us.

There is also this issue with the increased shutter lag when using P-TTL flash. There is much more of a delay than with my K-r. I'm hoping a firmware will fix this in the future (unless the issue has been solved and I've missed it).

AB

The pleasure of living on the island!
Seriously, this would be a good idea though ...

[crewl1]

Eliminate the flash delay.
Bring back mechanical SR in video.
Offer a version with the 16mp sensor from the K-5 series.

[stevebrot]

"I'd PAY for a firmware upgrade that would allow me to Calibrate lenses LIVE in Live View without all the hassles of take a picture, view it on your computer, adjust, repeat.

If that is how you are doing it, you are wasting a lot of time. There is no need to take a photo. Simply acquire focus in PDAF, disengage AF, and switch to magnified live view with focus peaking. OOF is easily assessed as is the direction to correct.


Steve

---------- Post added 09-19-14 at 07:15 PM ----------

Bring back mechanical SR in video.
Offer a version with the 16mp sensor from the K-5 series.

Both of these are good ideas and should not be difficult to implement. They could call the camera the K-3s or something similar.


Steve

[jpzk]

I am asking for a K3 NMF ... "no mirror flop" !

[rikracer]

I am asking for a K3 NMF ... "no mirror flop" !

I already have one of those!
Rick

[kadajawi]

I posted this in another thread basically asking the same thing:

"I'd PAY for a firmware upgrade that would allow me to Calibrate lenses LIVE in Live View without all the hassles of take a picture, view it on your computer, adjust, repeat.

I'd like 50+ AF points that cover the whole frame because you can never have enough AF points.

I'd like the USER MODES to be push button, instead of on the dial. I can see many many times where'd I'd like to be able to transition between Spot AF and 9 or even 25 Point and/or center weighted/matrix metering.

I'd like to see LOCKS put on the e-dials, my big hands seem to turn them a lot, especially those on the grip as I rotate portrait and landscape orientation. I've gone from 1/2500 @ f8 to 1/250 @ f5 without even knowing. Sometimes it has cost me shots @300mm and fast moving objects.

I miss the dial for AF-S to AF-C, though if they gave me programmable user modes for buttons I wouldn't care so much about this

and I'd like 11FPS..."

The Samsung NX-1 has 205 phase detect and 209 contrast detect AF points, covering 90% of the frame. Also it does 15 fps.


I'd like to see a K-3 with:


Things that should be possible with a firmware update:


* Mechanical SR that can be activated in video mode.
* Different options of SR, including combining mechanical and electronic SR (but please based on what the gyroscope is detecting!), the ability to lock position, to tell the camera I'm going to pan now.
* Option of (in no SR or mechanical SR mode) having no crop during video recording.
* AE-L, but for white balance. In video of course.
* The option of 80 Mbps MJPEG video, rather than h264. And higher quality h264.

* The video mode should be aimed at people who know what they are doing. Don't dumb it down, give options, even if they may confuse a beginner. A DSLR is a semi-pro/pro tool, not for beginners.
* A mode that basically does exposure bracketing, but with the sensor in different positions. i.e. top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right.
* The above, but combined with exposure bracketing.


Things a 2014/2015 flagship APS-C DSLR should have:
* OLED screen.
* 4K video and 1080p video with full sensor readout and pixel binning, at least at 30 fps.
* Choice over pixel binning or line skipping, depending on needs (default, especially for low light or little movement: pixel binning. When there is fast motion, shaky cam etc. line skipping is better (less wobbling, though you get much more moire and aliasing, as well as less sharpness).
* h265 support, ProRes support, MJPEG support, ...
* GPS for geotagging, as well as astrotracking (?).* WiFi and USB 3.0, with support for control over the camera over either. I'm not talking about what the K-3 already has, I'm talking about an open API that gives full control over the camera. Sensor position, access to the gyroscope, if it's in the camera it should be given access to. That does not mean that Pentax needs to give away any secrets or code... just a way to write "mirror lock up, focus to 50 cm, aperture f8, move sensor to the top left corner, take a photo at + 4EV, 0EV and -4EV, move sensor to top right corner, ... , focus to 2m, move sensor to top left... .", and the camera does exactly that.
* Focus peaking in video mode.
* All sorts of displays that are useful for videographers, for example overlays for different aspect ratios (the posibility to shoot in them could be neat too), and the video equivalent of a histogram.
* A properly fast CPU. Samsung is putting their high end smartphone CPU in a camera optimized version into their latest camera, while what we get from Fujitsu is probably a bit more antiquated. And it shows.
* USB OTG support. It would be nice to save photos or videos directly to an external hard drive (think time lapses, or long shoots), or to copy them to one at the end of the day, as a backup.
* Maybe a more modern OS, like Android? With the ability to write programs for it, though not like with the Samsung Galaxy cameras. First and foremost it would feel and look like a Pentax DSLR, just with a touchscreen to go through your photos and zoom in as you wish, and with the ability to extend it's capabilities (i.e. making use of the API mentioned before, just in camera, without a phone, tablet or computer). A curated app store by Pentax would let you acquire these extensions (with Pentax making some profit). The apps should be more targetted at professional users, and can include for example apps by news agencies for their in house photographers, which upload thumbnails of the photos directly to the news agencies' servers, letting them pick photos they want and download the raw straight from the camera, all while the photographer is still shooting the event.