[Kevin B123]

The elephant in the room= sensor desig

Regarding the sensor there are no elephants in sight. They will use whatever is currently available at the right price and I imagine for now, that may be the same sensor as used in the Z7ii and I for one will buy it.

[Sandy Hancock]

Sony 36 Mp on a new camera model - maybe, but does it make dollars and sense?

IIRC, Sony no longer makes that sensor, so it is not an option.

[67comet]

I'm crossing my fingers that they make a K1 Mk iii and include a few things that I envy in other manufacturers without giving up the things that make the K1 Mk ii my choice (picked it over the K3 Mk iii because built in GPS and not much more). Keep the price sub $2.5k, improve the subpar autofocus, keep the same battery grip, improve high ISO noise reduction, moon-lander touchscreen (pick focus points, adjust key settings, turn off touch sensitivity for bad weather or not in use.. etc), and get 4K (or 8K) video in there!

* New/Improvements:
Autofocus improvements
4K (or 8K Video)
Touch Screen
Improve high ISO noise reduction

* Keep:
Same battery grip
Accessory lights
GPS
External switches, knobs, and buttons
Weather sealing
Ergonomics (seriously, this and the K3 feel absolutely perfect in the hand)

* Toss:
Nothing, just improve what's there, and update the technology that's available

[HoundFrog]

* Keep:Same battery grip

I wouldn't hold my breath, K3-III got a new one. Maybe even for a reason, not just because Ricoh wanted some extra money -- as I understand, the in-grip battery could be USB-charged. By the way, I hope they will keep the D-LI90. Or go for the bare cells without a casing (no way, they will never do that).

What I want from a new FF body is a bigger buffer and a faster card interface. I don't know what bugs me most, the limited series size or the dead time after the buffer is full.

And hey, make few bumps on that buttons so I can feel iso from expocorrection, and AF from AE-L. This really won't cost much.

[Roland Karlsson]

I'm crossing my fingers that they make a K1 Mk iii and include a few things that I envy in other manufacturers without giving up the things that make the K1 Mk ii my choice (picked it over the K3 Mk iii because built in GPS and not much more). Keep the price sub $2.5k, improve the subpar autofocus, keep the same battery grip, improve high ISO noise reduction, moon-lander touchscreen (pick focus points, adjust key settings, turn off touch sensitivity for bad weather or not in use.. etc), and get 4K (or 8K) video in there!

* New/Improvements:
Autofocus improvements
4K (or 8K Video)
Touch Screen
Improve high ISO noise reduction

* Keep:
Same battery grip
Accessory lights
GPS
External switches, knobs, and buttons
Weather sealing
Ergonomics (seriously, this and the K3 feel absolutely perfect in the hand)

* Toss:
Nothing, just improve what's there, and update the technology that's available

I am sorry, but I think this is what you eventually will get

* New:
Improved AF
Fancy Penta prism
More megapixels

* Toss:
GPS

And, unfortunately, it will not be here 2024 and probably not 2025 either. And it will cost $3k+ .

And, this prediction makes me look at Sony or Nikon. If I have to wait until 2026 to get K-1 III and then probably lose GPS, I can just as well leave Pentax. Sorry Pentax, but your marketing choices right now sux.

[Rondec]

I am sorry, but I think this is what you eventually will get

* New:
Improved AF
Fancy Penta prism
More megapixels

* Toss:
GPS

And, unfortunately, it will not be here 2024 and probably not 2025 either. And it will cost $3k+ .

And, this prediction makes me look at Sony or Nikon. If I have to wait until 2026 to get K-1 III and then probably lose GPS, I can just as well leave Pentax. Sorry Pentax, but your marketing choices right now sux.

I have no doubt that the K-1 III will have 4K video, a joystick, a touch screen with movable screen. They may forego the GPS and simply do a smart phone connection. They'll certainly have the option of the K-3 III style astro tracer.

Honestly, the biggest thing that I would like to see on the K-1 III is support of faster memory cards and better buffer/buffer clearing.

[Roland Karlsson]

I have no doubt that the K-1 III will have 4K video, a joystick, a touch screen with movable screen. They may forego the GPS and simply do a smart phone connection. They'll certainly have the option of the K-3 III style astro tracer.

Honestly, the biggest thing that I would like to see on the K-1 III is support of faster memory cards and better buffer/buffer clearing.

Smartphone connections for GPS is documented to not work at all. You are lucky if you can use it. There are thousands of problems.

The method that is used is to sync the image files with a GPS file from the smartphone. But, my tries with my phone has not been successful. The phone turns off the GPS logger apps I have tested. So, hours of data is missing. The sampling intervall for successful samples are very uneven. There are also lots of situations where a GPS receiver in your trouser pocket do not see any satellites. And all those misses you find out too late as you have no indication of loss of data. Moreover, you need to upload the data from the logger and run some synchronization software. Tedious stuff you do not need to do with K-1.

One method that I have not tried is to buy a dedicated GPS logger and then run synchronization with files. Should work better than with a phone I assume. Still you have to do the mechanical stuff of uploading and synchronization.

Pentax and Canon do have dedicated GPS units you can put in the flash shoe. A bit clumsy solutions, but I assume they work just fine. I do not think Sony and Nikon have anything like that.

[Rondec]

Smartphone connections for GPS is documented to not work at all. You are lucky if you can use it. There are thousands of problems.

The method that is used is to sync the image files with a GPS file from the smartphone. But, my tries with my phone has not been successful. The phone turns off the GPS logger apps I have tested. So, hours of data is missing. The sampling intervall for successful samples are very uneven. There are also lots of situations where a GPS receiver in your trouser pocket do not see any satellites. And all those misses you find out too late as you have no indication of loss of data. Moreover, you need to upload the data from the logger and run some synchronization software. Tedious stuff you do not need to do with K-1.

One method that I have not tried is to buy a dedicated GPS logger and then run synchronization with files. Should work better than with a phone I assume. Still you have to do the mechanical stuff of uploading and synchronization.

Pentax and Canon do have dedicated GPS units you can put in the flash shoe. A bit clumsy solutions, but I assume they work just fine. I do not think Sony and Nikon have anything like that.

Do you have a K-3 III? I haven't had issues using my phone with the K-3 III, but you probably have a different phone from me.

[HoundFrog]

* New:
Improved AF
Fancy Penta prism

Aren't you forgetting the improved SR (+0.5 stop), 2-billion ISO and new color profiles†?
†Available only in Japan.

And toss the articulated screen, of course.

[Roland Karlsson]

Do you have a K-3 III? I haven't had issues using my phone with the K-3 III, but you probably have a different phone from me.

No, I do not sync to any camera as I own no cameras that can do that. So, it is not an option for me.

But as far as I have read, the problem is 99% the phone that turns off the app. But also, the connection between phone and camera can be lost. And of course, your phone have to be in your pocket when you take images. If the camera and the phone are some meters apart it will not work. And if your pocket see no satellites it will not work either.

Off course, if the phone has a system app that can share GPS, then the phone will not turn off the app. And maybe, if I get another phone then it will not turn off user apps.

As far as I understand, newer Nikon and Sony cameras has support for connection to smartphones. I do not know if Pentax cameras can do it except for K-3 III. I am not sure about Canon.

[Rondec]

No, I do not sync to any camera as I own no cameras that can do that. So, it is not an option for me.

But as far as I have read, the problem is 99% the phone that turns off the app. But also, the connection between phone and camera can be lost. And of course, your phone have to be in your pocket when you take images. If the camera and the phone are some meters apart it will not work. And if your pocket see no satellites it will not work either.

Off course, if the phone has a system app that can share GPS, then the phone will not turn off the app. And maybe, if I get another phone then it will not turn off user apps.

As far as I understand, newer Nikon and Sony cameras has support for connection to smartphones. I do not know if Pentax cameras can do it except for K-3 III. I am not sure about Canon.

I've used it with an iphone 8 and it seems to do fine. I can't really comment on other phones. The biggest negative is it does tend drain the battery (so does the GPS unit on the K-1/K-1 II).

[Roland Karlsson]

I've used it with an iphone 8 and it seems to do fine. I can't really comment on other phones. The biggest negative is it does tend drain the battery (so does the GPS unit on the K-1/K-1 II).

As I always have my camera turned off while carrying it I have not seen any drain problems with using GPS on K-1. Of course, then it takes some seconds for the GPS to sync. But, it has never bothered me either. If your phone shall do it, it has to be turned on all the time, draining the phone.

---------- Post added 10-12-23 at 03:36 PM ----------

I have no doubt that the K-1 III will have 4K video, a joystick, a touch screen with movable screen. They may forego the GPS and simply do a smart phone connection. They'll certainly have the option of the K-3 III style astro tracer.

Honestly, the biggest thing that I would like to see on the K-1 III is support of faster memory cards and better buffer/buffer clearing.

If video is your thing, then DSLR is not the right solution. Maybe LiveView.

[Mikesul]

I agree with Roland that the onboard GPS is preferable but the phone connection on the K-3iii works just fine. I have also had no problems with a phone connection on Sony cameras. Most of the reported problems were with IPhones and I think that has been solved in recent months. I fully expect but do not need to see a K-1III within the next year, probably sooner. If not I will just keep using the excellent equipment I already have.

[Roland Karlsson]

I agree with Roland that the onboard GPS is preferable but the phone connection on the K-3iii works just fine. I have also had no problems with a phone connection on Sony cameras. Most of the reported problems were with IPhones and I think that has been solved in recent months. I fully expect but do not need to see a K-1III within the next year, probably sooner. If not I will just keep using the excellent equipment I already have.

Long before K-3 III arrived I was waiting for a K-1 III with good AF. I am not satisfied with the K-1 AF. It really only works good if the distance to the subject is constant. Someone is walking against you, and it takes by far to long time for it to lock, and when locking it is not sure that it is sharp. So, the best moment is missed and the result OOF. And trying to make a burst is not a good idea. Then it misses more.

If the K-1 III already had arrived I would probably be a happy camper.

But, as it has not then I have been looking at alternatives. And then you get more advanced AF, in particular eye focus. And following stuff is a breeze, and you can focus over the whole screen.

So, I will keep my K-1 and K-lenses. And a Sony is probably my next camera. Unfortunately without GPS.

[Mikesul]

When the K-1III arrives it will bring all the AF advances of the K-3iii and probably a little more. The K-3III and the steady stream of firmware improvements which still continue brought hope to me. I already have a very advanced Sony but for, perhaps strange reasons, still shoot mainly with the K-3iii and K-1II.