Ken Rockwell and K3II

john5100 · 07-20-2015, 03:24 PM

While I'm not a fan of this guy, I'm surprised that he had good things to say about Pentax.
Pentax K3 II Review

"AHA!!! Much sharper than any Bayer-type sensor, which is every other real DSLR and LEICA.
While it's not as sharp as my 50 MP Canon 5DS, the 24MP images made with this feature are sharper than any other 24MP DSLR."

"The images look great; color and tone rendition is much better than I expected, and color and tone are 99% of what the camera does to make a picture."

But then he says stupid crap like this
"Canon and Nikon make better and more refined cameras for the same price if you actually own and use them as I do"

and

"It is more primitive than the current Nikon and Canon cameras, whose color and tone are also fantastic. If you're already invested in Pentax, by all means get one, but if this is a first DSLR, the Nikon D7100 or D7200 is worlds better in actual use, as are the similar Canon DSLRs like the 70D."

Update:
He says this about the DFA100mm Macro WR

"This is a great little lens for any Pentax. It's small, sharp, fast, light and tough.
It offers essentially perfect optical performance and is the world's smallest and lightest 100mm macro lens."

And this about the DA 50mm F1.8
"The Pentax 50 DA is super-sharp. It's just a little less contrasty wide-open at f/1.8, quickly improving to super-sharp as stopped down.
It's sharp way past the corners on digital because this is a full-frame lens.
It's sharp all the way to f/16, only getting much softer at f/22 due to diffraction."

Last edited by john5100; 07-20-2015 at 03:33 PM.

LensBeginner · 07-20-2015, 03:52 PM

He's a joker, only things he's been able to say are about the supposedly terrible packaging (as if it meant anything) & noisy screw drive AF (ignoring sdm and dc lenses...).
He tries hard to find bad things to say about the products he expects to get less referral revenues from...
At least, he has started noticing Pentax, recently... better than nothing I guess... :-/

Na Horuk · 07-20-2015, 03:58 PM

Well, this guy is not super-biased, but he does tend to use.. hyperbole, strong language. Its nice that he is noticing Pentax, though. Its good for Pentax to be noticed at all.

Yeah, he cannot deny the quality of Pentax. And yes, I am very surprised he said that Pentax is not as refined and that Canikon is more elegant. I really, really don't see it. I think this is just because he is very much used to Canikon and never had a Pentax DSLR in his hands for a longer period. I think Pentax has one of the best interface, button placement, and Menu order. And Canikon doesn't offer anything better in this price range (at least I can't see it).. but, eh, he can't go all out and say this is the best APSC camera ever, because that would cause too much of a stir.

He should have mentioned TAv mode, WR, green button, sensor shift,.. but eh, he mentioned astrotracer and pixel shift, so that's something.

For me personally, it was the handling that brought me to Pentax DSLR. When I held a Pentax and then a Canon, Nikon.. the Pentax felt better. More solid, better texture.. (this was back in the day, I'm not talking about the Canikon flagships, I'm sure those are great)

stevebrot · 07-20-2015, 04:56 PM

Originally posted by john5100

the Nikon D7100 or D7200 is worlds better in actual use, as are the similar Canon DSLRs like the 70D

World's better (rolls eyes)? I don't think so, not at equal kit cost for comparison, particularly with the 70D. Pair the D7100/D7200 with one of Nikon's fast focusing OS lenses ($$$) and you have a sweet system for active sports shooting. Pit either against the K-3 for landscape, architectural, or portraiture and its a draw. As for the 70D...nice camera, but I would only take it over the K-3 if video were a priority (see Imaging Resources comparison for the two cameras). Heck, the camera has scene modes (rolls eyes again).

BTW...I actually like Ken Rockwell.

Steve

JinDesu · 07-20-2015, 05:00 PM

The image in the DFA 100 Macro is clearly an Invicta and yet he captions it as: "Rolex Submariner at close-focus distance shot on Pentax K3 II at f/22."

lol..

tvdtvdtvd · 07-20-2015, 05:32 PM

Originally posted by john5100

But then he says stupid crap like this
"Canon and Nikon make better and more refined cameras for the same price if you actually own and use them as I do"

So, if you don't own a Canon or Nikon, they are then not more refined?? Sounds like brand bias to me.

**luftfluss** · 07-20-2015, 05:46 PM - **2 Likes**

The only reason to click on his link is because you enjoy reading some dude's masturbation.

Once was one too many times for me.

ChristianRock · 07-20-2015, 05:53 PM - **1 Like**

He changed his review, the initial version was even worse - he originally said the K-3 (or any Pentax camera) isn't worth it even if you had legacy Pentax lenses. It seems like after using it some more, he might have changed his mind a little bit...

I'm still chuckling at that bit about the 70D being better than the K-3II...

drewski · 07-20-2015, 05:55 PM

Originally posted by luftfluss

Once was one too many times for me.

haha.. that was too funny. I used a Canon in my SLR days, and had the choice of going to Pentax or Nikon when I decided to dive into DSLRs. Guess I don't like 'refined' stuff !

aleonx3 · 07-20-2015, 06:02 PM

Originally posted by tvdtvdtvd

So, if you don't own a Canon or Nikon, they are then not more refined?? Sounds like brand bias to me.

LOL, I think a T5i is about the same price as the k-3.... and probably a more refined camera in his book.

ChristianRock · 07-20-2015, 06:27 PM

I shot with a T5i (a friend of ours had one and on her b-day, she asked me to take some pictures during her party, with her camera...)

It's flimsier than my K-r and just about as "refined".

**hjoseph7** · 07-20-2015, 07:08 PM

He hasn't reviewed that many Pentax products if you look at his list. Looks like he went right past the K5, K5II, and K3's except for the last one. Ditto on any of the Pentax lenses. Rockwell is definitely a Nikon guy. He got a lot of Canon owners P-off with some of his reviews to the point where he made a lot of enemies. He finally had to tone down the negativity on Canon products, but by then it was too late.

nms_photog · 07-20-2015, 07:29 PM

My question, is who really cares how pretty the menu interface looks? That, and his moodiness about the focus noise while choosing to use the cheapest screw drive lens Pentax makes. Although he seemed pleasantly surprised at how it took pictures. I also like the guy when it comes to actual photography lessons. But take his product reviews with a grain of salt.

**monochrome** · 07-20-2015, 07:33 PM

The bottom line is there has to be something to 'Other' in order to 'Group-ID' your brand (we're NOT Pentax). Pentax has been elected to Other because it is safe so to do.

SpecialK · 07-20-2015, 07:50 PM - **1 Like**

Rockwell said he shot jpg because he didn't want to "fiddle" with the image by shooting in raw. I believe that was when he shot with a D40 and 70-200VR which at the time, was all he needed to conquer the world.

The End.

07-20-2015, 03:24 PM	#1
john5100 Veteran Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 1,725	Ken Rockwell and K3II While I'm not a fan of this guy, I'm surprised that he had good things to say about Pentax. Pentax K3 II Review "AHA!!! Much sharper than any Bayer-type sensor, which is every other real DSLR and LEICA. While it's not as sharp as my 50 MP Canon 5DS, the 24MP images made with this feature are sharper than any other 24MP DSLR." "The images look great; color and tone rendition is much better than I expected, and color and tone are 99% of what the camera does to make a picture." But then he says stupid crap like this "Canon and Nikon make better and more refined cameras for the same price if you actually own and use them as I do" and "It is more primitive than the current Nikon and Canon cameras, whose color and tone are also fantastic. If you're already invested in Pentax, by all means get one, but if this is a first DSLR, the Nikon D7100 or D7200 is worlds better in actual use, as are the similar Canon DSLRs like the 70D." Update: He says this about the DFA100mm Macro WR "This is a great little lens for any Pentax. It's small, sharp, fast, light and tough. It offers essentially perfect optical performance and is the world's smallest and lightest 100mm macro lens." And this about the DA 50mm F1.8 "The Pentax 50 DA is super-sharp. It's just a little less contrasty wide-open at f/1.8, quickly improving to super-sharp as stopped down. It's sharp way past the corners on digital because this is a full-frame lens. It's sharp all the way to f/16, only getting much softer at f/22 due to diffraction." Last edited by john5100; 07-20-2015 at 03:33 PM.

07-20-2015, 03:58 PM	#3
Na Horuk Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Slovenia, probably Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,186	Well, this guy is not super-biased, but he does tend to use.. hyperbole, strong language. Its nice that he is noticing Pentax, though. Its good for Pentax to be noticed at all. Yeah, he cannot deny the quality of Pentax. And yes, I am very surprised he said that Pentax is not as refined and that Canikon is more elegant. I really, really don't see it. I think this is just because he is very much used to Canikon and never had a Pentax DSLR in his hands for a longer period. I think Pentax has one of the best interface, button placement, and Menu order. And Canikon doesn't offer anything better in this price range (at least I can't see it).. but, eh, he can't go all out and say this is the best APSC camera ever, because that would cause too much of a stir. He should have mentioned TAv mode, WR, green button, sensor shift,.. but eh, he mentioned astrotracer and pixel shift, so that's something. For me personally, it was the handling that brought me to Pentax DSLR. When I held a Pentax and then a Canon, Nikon.. the Pentax felt better. More solid, better texture.. (this was back in the day, I'm not talking about the Canikon flagships, I'm sure those are great) Last edited by Na Horuk; 07-20-2015 at 04:04 PM.

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07-20-2015, 03:52 PM	#2
LensBeginner Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Photos: Albums Posts: 4,696	He's a joker, only things he's been able to say are about the supposedly terrible packaging (as if it meant anything) & noisy screw drive AF (ignoring sdm and dc lenses...). He tries hard to find bad things to say about the products he expects to get less referral revenues from... At least, he has started noticing Pentax, recently... better than nothing I guess... :-/

07-20-2015, 04:56 PM	#4
stevebrot Otis Memorial Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Vancouver (USA) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 42,007	Originally posted by john5100 the Nikon D7100 or D7200 is worlds better in actual use, as are the similar Canon DSLRs like the 70D World's better (rolls eyes)? I don't think so, not at equal kit cost for comparison, particularly with the 70D. Pair the D7100/D7200 with one of Nikon's fast focusing OS lenses ($$$) and you have a sweet system for active sports shooting. Pit either against the K-3 for landscape, architectural, or portraiture and its a draw. As for the 70D...nice camera, but I would only take it over the K-3 if video were a priority (see Imaging Resources comparison for the two cameras). Heck, the camera has scene modes (rolls eyes again). BTW...I actually like Ken Rockwell. Steve

07-20-2015, 05:00 PM	#5
JinDesu Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: New York City Photos: Gallery Posts: 5,638	The image in the DFA 100 Macro is clearly an Invicta and yet he captions it as: "Rolex Submariner at close-focus distance shot on Pentax K3 II at f/22." lol..

07-20-2015, 05:32 PM	#6
tvdtvdtvd Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,665	Originally posted by john5100 But then he says stupid crap like this "Canon and Nikon make better and more refined cameras for the same price if you actually own and use them as I do" So, if you don't own a Canon or Nikon, they are then not more refined?? Sounds like brand bias to me.

07-20-2015, 05:46 PM - 2 Likes	#7
luftfluss Site Supporter Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 11,618	The only reason to click on his link is because you enjoy reading some dude's masturbation. Once was one too many times for me.

07-20-2015, 05:53 PM - 1 Like	#8
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	He changed his review, the initial version was even worse - he originally said the K-3 (or any Pentax camera) isn't worth it even if you had legacy Pentax lenses. It seems like after using it some more, he might have changed his mind a little bit... I'm still chuckling at that bit about the 70D being better than the K-3II...

07-20-2015, 05:55 PM	#9
drewski Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Toronto Posts: 133	Originally posted by luftfluss Once was one too many times for me. haha.. that was too funny. I used a Canon in my SLR days, and had the choice of going to Pentax or Nikon when I decided to dive into DSLRs. Guess I don't like 'refined' stuff !

07-20-2015, 06:02 PM	#10
aleonx3 Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Brampton, Ontario Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 3,996	Originally posted by tvdtvdtvd So, if you don't own a Canon or Nikon, they are then not more refined?? Sounds like brand bias to me. LOL, I think a T5i is about the same price as the k-3.... and probably a more refined camera in his book.

07-20-2015, 06:27 PM	#11
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	I shot with a T5i (a friend of ours had one and on her b-day, she asked me to take some pictures during her party, with her camera...) It's flimsier than my K-r and just about as "refined".

07-20-2015, 07:08 PM	#12
hjoseph7 Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,045	He hasn't reviewed that many Pentax products if you look at his list. Looks like he went right past the K5, K5II, and K3's except for the last one. Ditto on any of the Pentax lenses. Rockwell is definitely a Nikon guy. He got a lot of Canon owners P-off with some of his reviews to the point where he made a lot of enemies. He finally had to tone down the negativity on Canon products, but by then it was too late.

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07-20-2015, 07:29 PM	#13
nms_photog Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Mississippi Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 282	My question, is who really cares how pretty the menu interface looks? That, and his moodiness about the focus noise while choosing to use the cheapest screw drive lens Pentax makes. Although he seemed pleasantly surprised at how it took pictures. I also like the guy when it comes to actual photography lessons. But take his product reviews with a grain of salt.

07-20-2015, 07:33 PM	#14
monochrome Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Working From Home Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 26,276	The bottom line is there has to be something to 'Other' in order to 'Group-ID' your brand (we're *NOT* Pentax). Pentax has been elected to Other because it is safe so to do.

07-20-2015, 07:50 PM - 1 Like	#15
SpecialK Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: So California Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,480	Rockwell said he shot jpg because he didn't want to "fiddle" with the image by shooting in raw. I believe that was when he shot with a D40 and 70-200VR which at the time, was all he needed to conquer the world. The End.