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10-15-2015, 08:42 AM   #1
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time to upgrade - but to what?

Okay, I got Pentax Kx, when it first came out in 2009? and it has served me very well, so much that I decided it was time to take my hobby of photography to the next level and enrolled in an online professional photography course from NYIP.

I am about half way through it and find its time to upgrade my camera, the school makes a huge point to not recommend any one brand, and although not the most popular brand for professional photographers, I want to stay with Pentax, but which one?

I am leaning towards the K3ii, I don't think I will miss the flash mainly because I barely use it anymore, but is it worth waiting on the Full Frame? Have they resolved the early bugs with the K3ii?

I am hoping to be able to use my love of photography as a part time (mostly retired) photographer, I enjoy the photojournalist work, but have always loved nature, and wildlife.

And if I do go with the K3ii, what accessories? a better flash comes to mind, (i'm using a third party flash) or maybe a battery grip? extra batteries? a car charger?

any suggestions?

10-15-2015, 09:05 AM   #2
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Any new camera will always have bugs, which is why I won't be jumping on a full-frame the minute it comes out.

IIRC they have resolved the issue with the K3-II, and the Price Watch subforum here is reporting absurdly low prices on this camera for body-only, almost as good as what the K3 with flash and 50mm prime is selling for. My first accessory would be an extra battery - mine tend to last quite a while between charges (and they don't take long to replenish), but if you're doing a lot of shooting at once, you may find you drain a single battery quickly, and then it's good to be able to just drop in a spare and keep going.
10-15-2015, 09:16 AM   #3
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What features or performance are you finding your K-x is lacking?
10-15-2015, 09:30 AM   #4
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I love my K3 having up scaled from a K5 earlier in the year. (a week before K3ii!). The issue I immediately found was the camera outperforming my existing lenses. So be careful what you wish for. If you go for K3/ii or even wait for K1? have you got deep enough pockets to buy the better lenses you may need. The only lens I have left is 18 - 55WR because I cant be bothered to give it away.

10-15-2015, 09:39 AM   #5
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If you are thinking about going PRO then the K3 and the best lenses you can buy would be your best bet. If not you can get by with a K-5II(if there are still some left around) . The reason I say the K3 is better for pro work is that it has higher resolution, meaning you can enlarge a lot bigger and sometimes clients ask for big prints.
10-15-2015, 11:12 AM   #6
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QuoteOriginally posted by GrizzlyThumper Quote
Okay, I got Pentax Kx, when it first came out in 2009? and it has served me very well, so much that I decided it was time to take my hobby of photography to the next level and enrolled in an online professional photography course from NYIP.

I am about half way through it and find its time to upgrade my camera, the school makes a huge point to not recommend any one brand, and although not the most popular brand for professional photographers, I want to stay with Pentax, but which one?

I am leaning towards the K3ii, I don't think I will miss the flash mainly because I barely use it anymore, but is it worth waiting on the Full Frame? Have they resolved the early bugs with the K3ii?

I am hoping to be able to use my love of photography as a part time (mostly retired) photographer, I enjoy the photojournalist work, but have always loved nature, and wildlife.

And if I do go with the K3ii, what accessories? a better flash comes to mind, (i'm using a third party flash) or maybe a battery grip? extra batteries? a car charger?

any suggestions?
K3 prices are so low (much less than what I paid for mine) that I would say minimally K3. If you have the budget go with K3II. I bought the Tamron 70-200 a few weeks ago and it has exceed all my expectations. The other lens that surprised me with its quality was the Tamron 17-50 f2.8. I do have Pentax prime lenses but on a recent nature/landscape shoot, I mostly used the two Tamrons with stunning results. Shoot the Tamron duo at f4 and above and both lenses will match any prime in sharpness, contrast and color.

As far as flash, I have both the Pentax 540 and the Metz 52 AF-1 with Stofen bounce attachment. I shot a social event a few weeks ago. The Metz exposure was much more accurate and consistent than the Pentax.

Last edited by btnapa; 10-15-2015 at 11:13 AM. Reason: text
10-15-2015, 11:16 AM   #7
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QuoteOriginally posted by BrianR Quote
What features or performance are you finding your K-x is lacking?
Not really sure it is lacking, but since I have not shot with any else in so long, and I am able to afford the upgrade, I think now is a good time, plus wanting to go professional,

---------- Post added 10-15-15 at 04:18 PM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by hjoseph7 Quote
If you are thinking about going PRO then the K3 and the best lenses you can buy would be your best bet. If not you can get by with a K-5II(if there are still some left around) . The reason I say the K3 is better for pro work is that it has higher resolution, meaning you can enlarge a lot bigger and sometimes clients ask for big prints.
Thanks, that is an important consideration

10-15-2015, 12:17 PM   #8
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hey Grizzly Thumper...im in the same boat as you, wanting to upgrade. I have the K3; outstanding camera, shoot mostly with Sigme 17-70 and Pentax 50-300.... For me personally Im waiting to see what the new Pentax FF will be like and if has an outstanding review by those who no more than I do about cameras I will probably buy it. Having said that , I am also looking at mirrorless and Canon Mark 5D series. In case the Pentax FF isn't up to snuff. ( but I think it will be )... I ve seen some awesome pictures from these systems... Perhaps you may want to excerise some patience for the Pentax FF... IMHO
10-15-2015, 12:50 PM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by GrizzlyThumper Quote
Not really sure it is lacking, ...
I'd be tempted to wait then. Deals on camera bodies (generally) get better as time marches on, but no guarantees of course. If the upcoming FF is even remotely on your radar, I'd definitely at least wait until the specs are officially announced so you can make a more informed decision. Otherwise I'd probably wait until the k3/k3ii successor is announced to see if it offers anything truly compelling over the k3ii, if it didn't I'd sit around until the k3ii reached a price I couldn't resist. This may result in lots of waiting, but I'm pretty patient with spending money if there's no immediate need.

QuoteOriginally posted by GrizzlyThumper Quote
... plus wanting to go professional
If shooting live events or functions or other one-off things for money is in the near future, I'd be less likely to wait as having a second body for backup becomes important (demote the Kx to this role). A backup body is less of a priority if your aim is nature/wildlife (this changes if you're traveling far and wide to take photos).
10-15-2015, 02:13 PM   #10
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You can get a nice used K-5 II right now on Adorama for only $389 + shipping. I bought my K-5IIs from Adorama for the same price, and I'm very happy with it! It was in like new condition when it arrived, and I managed to sell off my old camera for a good enough price to make it worth the upgrade.

Pentax K-5 II Digital SLR Camera Body, Anti Aliasing Filter, 16.3 MP, SAFOX X Autofocus, 3" LCD, Shake Reduction, Full HD 1080p Video
10-15-2015, 03:30 PM   #11
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I'd be inclined to keep what you have and invest in some nice sharp lenses. If you want to go into portrait work, an off-camera flash and maybe an umbrella setup will improve things immensely instead of buying a new body.

Then, if you find you really need a new feature that a newer camera offers, you already have the decent lenses and equipment to go along with it.
10-15-2015, 04:12 PM   #12
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Personally I'm thinking K-s2 will be my next choice. It's about K-r size so slightly larger than your K-x; the K-3 bodies are definitely a larger fit. If deals are silly good next month the K-3 II is my preferred big-body choice for the extra stop of SR and GPS onboard (pixel shift too? OK ) - but we'll see where the sales lean. Some years dealers dump more midrange gear, other times the higher-end discounts cannot be denied. Determine your priorities and presumably the answer will find you!
10-16-2015, 12:03 AM   #13
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QuoteOriginally posted by BrianR Quote
I'd be tempted to wait then. Deals on camera bodies (generally) get better as time marches on, but no guarantees of course. If the upcoming FF is even remotely on your radar, I'd definitely at least wait until the specs are officially announced so you can make a more informed decision. Otherwise I'd probably wait until the k3/k3ii successor is announced to see if it offers anything truly compelling over the k3ii, if it didn't I'd sit around until the k3ii reached a price I couldn't resist. This may result in lots of waiting, but I'm pretty patient with spending money if there's no immediate need.



If shooting live events or functions or other one-off things for money is in the near future, I'd be less likely to wait as having a second body for backup becomes important (demote the Kx to this role). A backup body is less of a priority if your aim is nature/wildlife (this changes if you're traveling far and wide to take photos).
thanks, yes, I am leaning towards photojournalism type work, and will most likely wait until the deals on Black Friday come out. just not sure if its the K3 or K3ii at this point
10-16-2015, 04:06 AM   #14
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QuoteOriginally posted by GrizzlyThumper Quote
I am leaning towards photojournalism type work... just not sure if its the K3 or K3ii at this point
If you are interested in photojournalism, the inbuilt GPS of the -II may be useful to you in proving where you were when the photo was taken (if you end up covering something controversial). The lack of an internal flash shouldn't bother you as you would probably want something more powerful anyway. It's a deal-breaker for me because I use my K-5's internal flash an awful lot indoors, under circumstances where I don't always want to be running and fetching an external unit or even having it on the camera 24/7.

Remember, the camera, flashes and lenses are a system, and you need to consider carefully the uses to which you will put it and the components you will need.
10-16-2015, 07:18 AM   #15
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QuoteOriginally posted by pathdoc Quote
If you are interested in photojournalism, the inbuilt GPS of the -II may be useful to you in proving where you were when the photo was taken (if you end up covering something controversial). The lack of an internal flash shouldn't bother you as you would probably want something more powerful anyway. It's a deal-breaker for me because I use my K-5's internal flash an awful lot indoors, under circumstances where I don't always want to be running and fetching an external unit or even having it on the camera 24/7.

Remember, the camera, flashes and lenses are a system, and you need to consider carefully the uses to which you will put it and the components you will need.
Thanks, that is good advise. and that brings up another question about maintenance, since I've only had the Kx, how is dust dealt with? Dust Alert? Dust Removal? Sensor cleaning, pixel mapping or is that a different thread???
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