[hjoseph7]

sounds like you're actively looking for problems, and may be inventing ones that aren't problems at all.

it's something everyone does, but don't jump to conclusions.

there are so many threads about this exact conclusion made by people who JUST got the k3, have a peek.

Buyers remorse ?


This happened to me before when I upgraded to a so-called "better" camera from a camera that served me well for years. It might take some time to get over buyers remorse, but some people never get over it.

[jotagustavo]

Welcome back to Pentax. If budget and weight are not obstacles, then the higher end DA star lenses are the way to go. The pairing of the 16-50 and 50-260 will work very well. Frankly, between the 18-135 and the 18-270 there is so little difference in overall IQ, you can go with either one. Frankly, the 18-135 is somewhat underwhelming in this category, and the 18-270 is pretty good for what it is. Not saying that the 18-135 is as marginal as a 15-to-1, but the difference isn't as great as you'd expect. If your heart is set on the 18-135 length as a main lens, Nikon is the better way to go.

I suspect Jot is worried about weight and size. Then the 18-135 and 55-300 WRs are the best bets. You want to avoid using the 18-135 beyond about 75mm (it really is a bad lens long), so the pairing of these consumer lenses is pretty good.

If you are shooting 1600 ISO or above exclusively in AF half the time without any flash, then the K05IIs is your better choice. Shooting at normal ISO, shooting some flash, want to use manual focus, or understand that Live View is a valuable tool on occasion, then the K-3 is the far-better choice.

ScooterMaxi, that is a good review. Actually I am Pentax since 90's with film cameras, and I really enjoy it.

My point is: Fuji XE1 with Fujia 35mm f1.4, 18mm f2.0, and also Zeiss Jena 50mm f2.8 with adaptor gives me a great tool for indoors. But I feel the lack of outdoor shots without any concern on the weather, and that is where Pentax is king. So I won't buy glass that competes with Fuji's what I need is a supplement of my existing glass for outdoor. Personally I hate any kind of flash, and in my retired K30 I used to use ISO 1600 or even 3200 in BW straight from the camera and only occasionally used a TTL /Manual flash I had. The tricky point now is: K5 IIs or K3, and lens18-135mm or 55-300mm or 16-85mm. Being K3 an evolution, could it not fit all K5 IIs set of uses?

Something I forgot - edited - I always print, and hate post-processing that interferes too much on the shot . That is my final objective.
Thanks guys!

[normhead]

As one final note, I just recently purchased a 4K monitor.

I hate you....

[saladin]

Jot - devils advocate, but you could just buy an X-T1 for weather sealing.


But back to point - surely at current prices the k-3 is a better buy than a k5ii. Better focusing, faster operation, better wb , more resolution etc etc.

[Pioneer]

Jot - devils advocate, but you could just buy an X-T1 for weather sealing.


But back to point - surely at current prices the k-3 is a better buy than a k5ii. Better focusing, faster operation, better wb , more resolution etc etc.

Not quite sure how you figure that? Lets see. Already own the K5iiS, It is years from being worn out. It produces truly awesome photographs. The ergonomics are great! It is small and easy to handle. I easily print digital files to 16x20 with no uprezzing, even further with a bit more attention to detail. But the K3 is a better buy?

Hmmm.

To be completely honest, I think that upgrading to the K3 is actually a mistake for most people. They will never really take full advantage of the sensor. Oh well, good for the bragging rights I guess.

[howieb101]

But when they upgrade to the K3 they won't be annoyed by waiting for the camera to save files, they'll have better lowlight autofocus, actually be able to use the wide AF points in tungsten lighting and have more AF points that are useful when using fast aperture lenses. Not bad for a marginal increase in price over a K5 IIs.

[savoche]

To be completely honest, I think that upgrading to the K3 is actually a mistake for most people. They will never really take full advantage of the sensor. Oh well, good for the bragging rights I guess.

I would say that the sensor is not the reason for upgrading to a K-3. It's all the other little improvements that are important to me. No huge leaps, but in sum they do make a difference. To me, anyway

I wouldn't mind a K-3 with a K-5 sensor, though.

[cbope]

I would say that the sensor is not the reason for upgrading to a K-3. It's all the other little improvements that are important to me. No huge leaps, but in sum they do make a difference. To me, anyway

I wouldn't mind a K-3 with a K-5 sensor, though.

Or a K-3 with the K-S1 sensor. I would love to see what that one can do with 14-bit RAW output in a pro-level body.

[jotagustavo]

Jot - devils advocate, but you could just buy an X-T1 for weather sealing.


But back to point - surely at current prices the k-3 is a better buy than a k5ii. Better focusing, faster operation, better wb , more resolution etc etc.

Since I owned a MZ-30 in the past, then a K30, now a Fuji XE1... I could say Pentax ergonomics are really impressive, and XT1 even being WR the ergonomics still something apart to manage - slow. The K3 is actually a better buy to use along with the XE1

[saladin]

Not quite sure how you figure that? Lets see. Already own the K5iiS, It is years from being worn out. It produces truly awesome photographs. The ergonomics are great! It is small and easy to handle. I easily print digital files to 16x20 with no uprezzing, even further with a bit more attention to detail. But the K3 is a better buy?

Hmmm.

To be completely honest, I think that upgrading to the K3 is actually a mistake for most people. They will never really take full advantage of the sensor. Oh well, good for the bragging rights I guess.

I dont disagree with any of that. But its not relevant whether its worth upgrading. Jot doesnt already have a k5iis and pondering an upgrade. He/she is asking about a cold purchase -5 or 3. With the 3 at under $800 with a grip thrown in , and from what i can find the K5ii deals out of stock and finished, i think the 3 is the way to go.

Disclaimer: i still use the original k5. I didnt upgrade to any of the later bodies. So i well understand the no-need-to-upgrade position.

[jayman_1975]

I for one really like the new interface and button placement on the K3. Just for instance, even something as simple as the back focus botton placement. I shoot with my left eye and my nose gets in the way of the back focus button on the K5II to some extent. I learned to make it work but was just thrilled to see its moved to a more normal thumb placement spot on the k3. Also, i have pretty large hands and find the K3's more robust size just fits better in my hands. I always found the k5II to feel small. Dont get me wrong, i still absolutely love my K5II and am having a really hard time placing it for sale, but im finding that the K3 is really growing on me.

[StephenHampshire]

I for one really like the new interface and button placement on the K3. Just for instance, even something as simple as the back focus botton placement. I shoot with my left eye and my nose gets in the way of the back focus button on the K5II to some extent. I learned to make it work but was just thrilled to see its moved to a more normal thumb placement spot on the k3. Also, i have pretty large hands and find the K3's more robust size just fits better in my hands. I always found the k5II to feel small. Dont get me wrong, i still absolutely love my K5II and am having a really hard time placing it for sale, but im finding that the K3 is really growing on me.

I'm left eyed too, and use back button AF,the K3 button placement works much better for me than the K5.

[benjikan]

Just got my k3 in the mail yesterday..... It was one of two that I ordered from different places and the following applies to both copies so the lemon factor is not an issue here. I have turned off in camera NR exactly as I have done in my k5II. Having compared sample shots with the same lens (d fa 50 macro and da 50 1.8)

I can honestly say the k5ii produces noticeably sharper images.... Jpg out of camera. Now before everyone tells me not to shoot JPEG because of all the reasons, I can get really nice jpgs out of the k5II and I find it's easier than having to edit 1000 holiday pics. When I'm shooting for utmost quality i shoot raw. Are you telling me that the k3 is useless for shooting JPEG and if I want decent pics I have to shoot them all in raw with this camera? I bought this because I wanted better, faster autofocus but not at the expense of being able to kick out really good jpgs, which my k5II did a great job of.

Just a note, this was all done indoors with no flash and shooting at f3.2, 1/20 shutter speed and roughly 1000-1250 ISO. It was like a blizzard outside so I couldn't do any outdoor testing. I really hope things change with better light, but if that's the case then I don't see why everyone raves about the k3. I do have to say I really like the new button layout and changes to the user interface. If I can get this shooting like my k5II I can see I'll prefer it.

Last note, I checked lens focus and both the dfa 50 2.8 macro and the da 50 1.8 are dead on

Turn off the Noise Reduction. It is very aggressive on the K3 more so than the K5.

[Driline]

With the 3 at under $800 with a grip thrown in

How about under $700 with no grip? Got mine for $655 from popflash.photo who are Pentax Dealers and comes with USA warranty. Some have even purchased new K-3's for $599 with warranty (Canada). I missed out on that one

[redrockcoulee]

Send the bad K-3s to me and I will take care of them.

As no one has yet offered you thanks for your willingness to go above and beyond your duty to fellow Pentaxians, may I be the first. Thank you for that offer of service.