[sjwomersley]

Hi Everyone,

I've just got a bargain on a Pentax K-3II with an 18-55mm WR lens - are there any useful tips you can share to help me get the most out of the camera?

I plan on swapping the lens for an 18-135mm for general use and buying a 55-300mm as well. I have a few old manual focus Pentax lenses which I hope to get some use out of as well (Pentax-M f1/1.7 50mm, Pentax-A Macro f/2.8 50mm, Tamron SP f/3.5-4.2 35-210mm).

Thanks,

Sam

[LensBeginner]

Hi and welcome!
When I get a new camera, the first thing I do is reading the official review on this forum, which is quite in-depth, so that I get a feel for what the camera can do, the differences from its predecessors etc.
Here's the one on the K-3 II:
Pentax K-3 II Review - Introduction | PentaxForums.com Reviews

[microlight]

Hi Sam, welcome. Hopefully you’ll find that your K-3II does what you want - I’ve been very impressed with mine over the last couple of years. The three lenses that I use by far the most on mine are in my signature; I’m on holiday this week and today, the PLM55-300 is on it.

The 18-135 is generally pretty well-thought-of here; that and a 55-300 gives you a wide range.

There are sufficient settings for you to tune it to your liking. Mine for example is set up with U1 being set to Tav for use with the 55-300, U2 for hyper-P general use o it’s easily switchable between Av and Tv, and U3 is set up for a 2-second delay and pixel shift (tripod, of course). Many people are critical of Pentax AF but I’ve never had an issue, even with AF.C tracking. The key is to get the feel of it and set it up to your liking. Anything specific, just ask - plenty of K-3II users here.

Are you shooting RAW or JPG?

[aslyfox]

looking at the user reviews can be helpful as well

Pentax K-3 II - Pentax K-mount DSLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

as well as looking at threads like these

prime, prime, everywhere a prime... - PentaxForums.com

K3 sample shots ... post here ! - PentaxForums.com

if you see something you like, try sending a pm to the poster for more info

[DW58]

If you choose the 55-300mm PLM make sure your camera has the latest firmware update.

[Mikesul]

Yes. Be sure to update the firmware even if you do not get the 55-300PLM although that lens should be high on your list. You may also want to invest in the excellent book by Yvon Bourque. He lists in the marketplace and I think there is a discount if you become a PF site supporter. Anyway, here is the link to his site where you can request a sample. Instantly download your Pentax eBook! (K-1, K-70,K-3, K-5, K-50, K-S2 and more DSLRs) - PentaxForums.com

[LensBeginner]

Yes. Be sure to update the firmware even if you do not get the 55-300PLM although that lens should be high on your list. You may also want to invest in the excellent book by Yvon Bourque. He lists in the marketplace and I think there is a discount if you become a PF site supporter. Anyway, here is the link to his site where you can request a sample. Instantly download your Pentax eBook! (K-1, K-70,K-3, K-5, K-50, K-S2 and more DSLRs) - PentaxForums.com

True that... there is a running joke on the Italian forum that on every single firware release we get "autofocus improvements"
Maybe it's placebo effect, but every little bit counts

[steve_k]

Welcome to the forums Sam. Sounds like you have a pretty good plan with the 18-135 (love it) and 55-300 PLM. I also highly recommend the e-book by Yvonne. Much better than the manual.

[sjwomersley]

Thanks for the tips about updating the firmware (I've never had a camera that gets updates so I wouldn't have thought of that!) and the e-book. I've got a big trip to Mexico planned for next Easter so I'm hoping to learn everything about the camera this summer so I can just get on with taking photos when I get there!

I've been looking at maybe getting a Flucard so I can pair the camera to the app. My Fuji bridge camera can do this but the connection is hit and miss, is the Flucard any better? I didn't expect it to be about £100 so don't really want to spend this much on WiFi connectivity unless it works flawlessly.

[aslyfox]

. . . I've been looking at maybe getting a Flucard so I can pair the camera to the app. My Fuji bridge camera can do this but the connection is hit and miss, is the Flucard any better? I didn't expect it to be about £100 so don't really want to spend this much on WiFi connectivity unless it works flawlessly.

it is wise to check the reviews in various sections listed above

I have no personal experience

here is the link

Pentax 16Gb FluCard Pro reviews - Pentax Camera Accessory Review Database

you could then attempt to contact those reviewers via pm

[Lew Dite]

Re the FluCard, I initially wanted to buy one for my new K-3II as well. But the various reviews I read on-line and the relatively high price dissuaded me. "Flawless" is not a word I would associate with its operation based on the majority of reviews. Nevertheless, if I saw one for half the current price I would give it a try.

[neokind]

Hi Sam,

I upgraded to a K3ii in early 2016. It's a really fantastic camera. Image quality is superb, and it's built like a tank. My first lens was the 18-135 also, though once I started to settle into my style of photography I found that primes were more suitable for my use. The 50mm 1.7 is a classic for a reason--definitely buy one. You can find them relatively inexpensively and in excellent condition. I'd recommend getting the 100mm macro over the 50mm macro, since you already aspire to own a 50mm prime. The 100mm will give you a tele focal length, and gives a 1:1 macro capability. I have that lens as well, and it is easily one of my very favorites. Another that I'd highly recommend is the 40mm ltd. It was my most used lens because it is so small, lightweight, and perfect for walking around. As someone else recommended, I'd agree that you need some kind of wifi card. I had the eyefi mobi to start, and it is easy to use and perfectly compatible with most mobile devices (I used it with both my iPad and iPhone.) I also bought the Pentax Flucard for its tethering ability. I'll occasionally shoot self portraits for my work and the flucard is essential for this, since the K3ii doesn't have a swivel screen.

Best of luck as you start your Pentax journey!

Jeff

Hi Everyone,

I've just got a bargain on a Pentax K-3II with an 18-55mm WR lens - are there any useful tips you can share to help me get the most out of the camera?

I plan on swapping the lens for an 18-135mm for general use and buying a 55-300mm as well. I have a few old manual focus Pentax lenses which I hope to get some use out of as well (Pentax-M f1/1.7 50mm, Pentax-A Macro f/2.8 50mm, Tamron SP f/3.5-4.2 35-210mm).

Thanks,

Sam

[sjwomersley]

Lew Dite - I've come to the same conclusion. £100 is too much for what functionality it adds to the camera but if I see a bargain I might be tempted. Another thing which has put me off is that I realised it would mean taking my phone out with me when I go on holiday; with the exception my camera and camcorder I hate using tech on holiday, too many notifications and messages!

If I do get a Flucard then I might see about picking up a cheap second (or even third!) hand iPhone or iPod touch then I can use that solely as my remote camera display.

On another note, I took my K-3II out for a spin at the weekend and it's made me so glad I didn't go mainstream with a Nikon or Canon! It's going to take a while for me to get used to all the controls and settings it has but there's so much creative control with it that I know it will last me a good few years. Can't wait to get a decent telephoto lens to pair with it now! The Sigma 75-300mm I have is from the late 80's / early 90's so it's early autofocus is slow and very loud!

[sjwomersley]

Hello again,

Please can someone tell me what the most up-to-date firmware version is for the K-3II? Mine already has 1.10 out of the box but this is also the latest version I can find mention of anywhere, even though it was released over 2 years ago now! If this is the newest one then great but I just thought there would be a more recent version.

TIA!

Sam

[savoche]

1.10 is the latest. You're good to go