[Fenwoodian]

Received my new Pentax K3II today!

I used the link on this forum to order it last weekend from B&H.

I'll post periodic updates to this page as I learn new things about this camera that I think you might be interested in.

For starters, right out of the box, here's some things that caught my eye:

1. It came with a free Pentax 16GB SD Flu card inside - nice surprise
2. I was pleasantly surprised to see that it has slots for 2 SD cards, I expect that most of you probably already know this.
3. Last week I purchased a new K3 L-Bracket from Really Right Stuff. It fit perfectly on the K3II (I expected that it would). Easy access to the battery compartment and the side ports with this L-Bracket on.
4. Coming from Nikon, Canon, and Fuji X bodies, this is my first Pentax digital camera. I really like the grip, size and weight of the K3II
5. The rubber eye piece protector is thin and cheap, I expect I'll buy an after market one if/when one becomes available.
6. No pop-up flash. Not a big deal to me, as I rarely use the ones that are on my Nikon and Fuji X cameras.
7. I like how the battery compartment door is securely locked. I've broken off 2 Nikon D7100 doors when they accidentally came open - won't happen with this camera.
8. I opened the body cap to look at the sensor - to my surprise I saw a "mirror". I thought it was a "mirrorless" camera like my Fuji X-T1. Not a problem though, I guess that I should have read the specs more closely...

Tomorrow I'll be taking off on a photo safari. I will be periodically update this thread over the next month or so as I learn more and more about this camera.

I own 8 Pentax, 1 Sigma, and 1 Voightlander lens that I'll be using extensively with this new body. Some are auto focus, and some are older manual focus lenses. I'll be rating each one on how it likes the K3II body.

I purchased the K3II primarily for it's pixel shifting (PS) technology. As I get up to speed and have experience with that, I will be posting numerous photos taken with different lenses with PS on and with PS off.

Looking forward to the next few weeks and learning what this K3II is capable of.


Dave in Northern Wisconsin

[Adam]

I purchased the K3II primarily for it's pixel shifting (PS) technology. As I get up to speed and have experience with that, I will be posting numerous photos taken with different lenses with PS on and with PS off.

Looking forward to seeing the results! Remember, pixel-shifting can only be used with stationary subjects and when on a tripod.

Since you're new to Pentax, I'd recommend that you take a look at our K-3 review as it presents the camera's highlights and goes in-depth on some of the more advanced features:

Pentax K-3 Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

[Fenwoodian]

Looking forward to seeing the results! Remember, pixel-shifting can only be used with stationary subjects and when on a tripod.

Since you're new to Pentax, I'd recommend that you take a look at our K-3 review as it presents the camera's highlights and goes in-depth on some of the more advanced features:

Pentax K-3 Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

Adam, thanks for the great advice.

I will check out that K3 article.

I'm primarily a landscape photographer. The majority of what I shoot is from a tripod. When on my upcoming photo safari ALL of my K3II pixel shifting shots will be from a tripod and using a remote release. I've been a serious photographer for 35 years and (except for my rare forays into wildlife photography) am always a very slow and deliberate shooter who practices the utmost rigor.

[jpzk]

You have obviously purchased one great camera !
On the fun side .... I couldn't help but have a grin on my face when I read this part of your post:

8. I opened the body cap to look at the sensor - to my surprise I saw a "mirror". I thought it was a "mirrorless" camera like my Fuji X-T1. Not a problem though, I guess that I should have read the specs more closely...

Cheers! And enjoy this fine camera .... looking forward to some pictures.

JP

[npc]

Received my new Pentax K3II today!

I purchased the K3II primarily for it's pixel shifting (PS) technology. As I get up to speed and have experience with that, I will be posting numerous photos taken with different lenses with PS on and with PS off.

Just curious - if PS is your main reason for getting the K-3 II and into Pentax - why not Sigma SD1 Merrill instead?

Looking forward to see some great landscapes with PS!

[Fenwoodian]

npc, I previously owned all three of the DP Merrill cameras.

I know the foveon sensor very well.

It's a one trick pony - i.e. monster detail rendering. The CA and DR was horrible. Being an outdoor photographer, I found myself only shooting the Merrill cameras in dim light or hazy days. I expect I will not have those limitations with the K3II

[Ishpuini]

Received my new Pentax K3II today!

Congratulations!

5. The rubber eye piece protector is thin and cheap, I expect I'll buy an after market one if/when one becomes available.

If you don't wear glasses, the Pentax O-ME53 Magnifying Eyecup might be a good idea. I bought one when they first came out (same time as the K10D I believe), and mine has since sat on all my DSLRs. It's main purpose is slight magnification, but it's much sturdier than the regular eyecup and it keeps your face further away from the camera so you get fewer nose prints on the LCD...

Enjoy the camera!

hth, Wim

[Auzzie-Phoenix]

Welcome to the world of pentax ownership. The K3II sports a built in gps unit, which among other things allows you to track stars (in place of the o-GPS1 astrotracer unit). If you like to do astrophotography or want to try astro, then you certainly got a good camera for it due to the gps hardware. Have fun with your new k3, and hope to see some shots!

[rawr]

On the subject of GPS, does Lightroom recognise the location data recorded by the K-3 II?

[Edgar_in_Indy]

Please don't forget cat pictures!

[naldopr]

Nice hope to see photos soon

[Wolfeye]

It's interesting to read your surprises. It's a rare Pentaxian who doesn't know the specs line and verse, even for cameras they don't intend to buy, let alone one actually purchased.

Did you consider the Olympus pixel-shifting system?

[Fenwoodian]

Wolfeye, I never seriously considered the Olympus offerings.

I got interested in the K3II after I got all fired up about the upcoming Pentax full frame camera. I thought it a good idea to learn how to use pixel shifting on the K3II before buying the Pentax full frame camera.

I print lots of large prints on my Epson 7600 large format printer. I am excited about the resolution and sharpness my future prints will have with a Pentax full frame with pixel shifting capability!! The K3II is simply a stepping stone for me to get to the future Pentax full frame.

I have already purchased many Pentax and third party PK mount lenses, most of them will cover a future full frame sensor. So when the full frame comes out I will not have to purchase very many new lenses.

I've been to many art fairs and observed that most of the large photo prints being sold were very well composed and exposed. However, the sellers who sold the most prints were the ones who's prints had a detail / sharpness that was just amazing and a step above the rest. I have no doubt that the upcoming full frame Pentax when shot with the pixel shifting mode "on " will provide files that I can print extremely large that will have such jaw dropping clarity!!!

[npc]

On the subject of GPS, does Lightroom recognise the location data recorded by the K-3 II?

I can't say for K3II but Lightroom recognizes the data from the original OGPS-1 unit. I think the location tags are standartized in the exif data so it should be the same with k-3ii

By the way if you take pictures with the ogps1 on but before it locks location - it writes whatever random location it might be picking up at the moment.
It's not really a problem with the separate unit as it has its own battery so you can leave it on while turning off the camera (to save the main battery power while hiking for example).
But now on K3ii it feeds from the main battery so it probably have to lock location every time you switch the camera on/off. Unless that gps button on the side keeps the gps running when the camerar is off - but then you might find yourself ot of battery just when you reach your target location for the day.

[kenspo]

I finally got the time to pick up these badboys too