[snegron1]

I am thinking of getting a K-70 as I would like an APS-C camera for weekend family trips and all-around shooting.

My reason for gravitating toward the K-70 is that I would like to step back in to Pentax. My first slr was a K1000 back in 1979. I switched to Nikon because that's what all the "pros" were using back in the early 1980's.

Fast forward a few decades, I currently own a bunch of equipment I have accumulated over the years (Nikon, Canon and Panasonic).

I feel that Nikon turned its back on us loyal Nikon fans with the introduction of their new mirrorless Z mount system. Most of my Nikon F mount AF-D lenses will not autofocus with their new Z mount system despite their adapter. I currenly have a Nikon D750, several D200's and a bunch of Nikon F mount lenses (AF-D and AF-S).

I have no complaints regarding my Canon equipment (6dmk2, 7dmk2, several EF L lenses, plus a couple of older APS-C bodies - T3i and T6). Canon's EF to R adapter is great as it will let me use all my EF lenses on their new R bodies, and autofocus will work flawlessly.

My issue is that I don't like EVF viewfinders. I preffer optical. Also, I really want to send Pentax a message that there are many if us who appreciate their loyalty to their customers by retaining their K mount and sticking with optical viewfinders.

I can't afford to go full frame with Pentax at this time, plus I really want an APS-C camera that is reliable, can take awesome pics under any conditions and won't cost me an arm or a leg.

Please talk to me about the K-70. Thanks!

[que es tu]

Hello, and welcome to the forums! My son owns a K70 and loves it. The IQ is great as is the high ISO control. It is a very sturdy camera and fairly customizable. It is not too bulky. He has the silver version which is more like a silvery grey. It shares many features of the higher end KP (which I shoot). I considered the K70 for myself, but liked the retro style of the KP. The K70 has a nice grip making it very stable to hold. I think it is a very capable camera allowing for growth and fun while taking pictures. Oh yeah, I love Pentax’s ground glass OVF, and all their current bodies are weather sealed. Hope this was helpful, and happy shooting!

[othar]

I can't afford to go full frame with Pentax at this time, plus I really want an APS-C camera that is reliable, can take awesome pics under any conditions and won't cost me an arm or a leg.

I own the original K-3 so I don't speak from experience (with that particular body), but the K-70 is certainly a capable camera for your intended purpose.
As you mentioned reliability in your post: be aware that some cameras develop 'aperture block failure' (the solenoid has to be replaced; can be done yourself). Pentax Aperture Block Failure Survey Results - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com; Tutorial/Repair Pentax K-70 with aperture-problem: Exchange solenoid - PentaxForums.com

It's an older survey so I don't know how likely such a failure is for the K-70 (bad experiences are also more likely to end up on the internet, so it is not unlikely that your potential K-70 will never have any issues )

If you can forgo the articulating screen a used K-3ii might be another option for you, as this problem never occurred in the flagship models

[DW58]

I have one. Also a K1 II. I still use my K70 a lot. Especially with the 55-300 PLM attached. Plus that lens still works if the aperture fails.

[gump]

I got the K=70 in 2018. Simple reason was that it was by far the best value for the money. When aperture block appeared the cost benefit analysis said repair even though I had decided on getting a second camera. At the time the KP was 700 bucks and again value dictated the KP. I have no regrets. Both cameras go with me with Sigma 17-50 on the KP and the 55-300 on the K-70 in the event a dragon or unicorn appears. the K-70 is good for walk around and the KP is my tripod camera, yet, all this is interchangeable as both will provide excellent images. Unless you are very demanding the K-70 will do the job.

[ChristianRock]

If you still have Pentax lenses from your K1000 it makes sense to get the K-70, as you will be able to use all your lenses, Pentax or third party.

If you don't... it still makes a lot of sense, in my opinion, as the viewfinder - which like you, I prefer - is great. Even better is the K-3 III viewfinder, so you see that Pentax keeps investing in the optical viewfinder and making it better and in the future when prices of the newer cameras come down, you have a path to upgrade.

Though I have to say that cameras like the 6D II and 7D II also have very good optical viewfinders, so I wouldn't say it's something you *need* I guess, but being part of the Pentax community in my view is never a bad thing

[Des]

My issue is that I don't like EVF viewfinders. I preffer optical. Also, I really want to send Pentax a message that there are many if us who appreciate their loyalty to their customers by retaining their K mount and sticking with optical viewfinders.

You are the very person Pentax is made for.

I really want an APS-C camera that is reliable, can take awesome pics under any conditions and won't cost me an arm or a leg.Please talk to me about the K-70

I don't have a K-70, but I have its precursor, the K-S2. It's a very good camera. The K-70 improved on it in a number of ways - most notably high ISO performance, with the accelerator, as well as 14-bit RAW. Image quality is said to be on a par with the KP, which is high praise.

If you can find an old stock KP within budget, or even a secondhand one, I'd suggest going with that rather than the K-70. Advantages:
- More robust construction
- Rated for 100,000 shutter actuations
- Stepper motor for aperture control - no solenoid to fail
- Third wheel, highly customisable
- Quiet shutter (no small thing when shooting wildlife or in a quiet environment)
- 27 AF points (useful for birds in flight, more selectable points)
- Electronic shutter option
- Much better dust removal system (I notice a big difference from my K-S2)
- Faster processer
- P-Line programming
- Slightly faster frame rate
- More sophisticated exposure metering
- Metering to -3EV (compared to 0EV for the K-70)
- Although the flippy screen (K-70, K-S2) is more versatile, the tilt screen on the KP is probably more durable

But if you can't find a KP in the price range, and these points are not make-or-break for you, the K-70 will serve you well. Use it regularly, though, as this will reduce the risk of the aperture control mechanism failing.

The K-70 is often bundled with a DA 18-135 for an attractive price. If you can find it bundled with a DA 16-85 or DA 20-40 Ltd, so much the better.

[snegron1]

Thanks everyone! I'm looking forward to owning a Pentax again!

[PocketPixels]

I am thinking of getting a K-70 as I would like an APS-C camera for weekend family trips and all-around shooting.

My issue is that I don't like EVF viewfinders. I preffer optical. Also, I really want to send Pentax a message that there are many if us who appreciate their loyalty to their customers by retaining their K mount and sticking with optical viewfinders.

I can't afford to go full frame with Pentax at this time, plus I really want an APS-C camera that is reliable, can take awesome pics under any conditions and won't cost me an arm or a leg.

Hello and welcome to the forums! Lots of good advice here.

The K-70 is a capable entry-level DSLR that holds up well, feature-wise, against mid-range models from other vendors (Canon Rebel T8i, Nikon D5600). More importantly, APS-C models from Pentax get plenty of care and attention. Nikon and Canon produce some very capable APS-C models, but they offer few high-quality lenses tailored for the APS-C sensor crop. (For example, I'm not aware of ANY DX-format Nikkor lenses with weather-sealing.) Pentax has long-considered APS-C to be a fully-capable format, and the lens offerings for APS-C reflect that commitment.

[kypfer]

Just about everything everyone else has written … the K-70 is a very capable camera with an enormous resource of s/h legacy lenses
Unless you have good reason to "need" the further enhancements of the KP (if you can find one) or the K-3iii (if you can afford one) then you'll not be disappointed!
Enjoy

[snegron1]

I have been doing some research the past couple of days, and I came across an issue users have had wirh the K-70; aperture block failure.

How common is this? Has Pentax fixed this issue? Apparently it is caused by a build up of magnetism in the aperture armature mechanism. Looks like older Pentax cameras didn't have this issue. I would hate to buy a K-70 only to have it go bad on me in a year or two.

[Des]

I came across an issue users have had wirh the K-70; aperture block failure.

Several people have mentioned it in this thread as one of the reasons to get the KP instead.

How common is this? Has Pentax fixed this issue?

No-one outside Ricoh really knows how common it is because there are no published figures. There don't seem to be as many user reports of ABF here as on previous models, but enough to think it is still a problem. @Photogem is the expert on the solenoid. He might weigh in.

I've had ABF on my K-S2 and it is a PITA. I think it's another good reason to get a KP if you can (the KP and other high end models use a different mechanism which doesn't have the same problem).

[builttospill]

I have three K-70s and two KPs. I haven't had any issues with the K-70s. I love it how Pentax has two e-dials on entry-level cameras (Canon's T8i is their first entry-level DSLR to have two dials). My silver KP had to go to Japan for a shutter replacement just after the warranty ended. My black KP has functioned flawlessly.

The K-70 is a great camera.

[MrB1]

If you can find an old stock KP within budget, or even a secondhand one, I'd suggest going with that rather than the K-70. Advantages:
- More robust construction
- Rated for 100,000 shutter actuations
- Stepper motor for aperture control - no solenoid to fail
- Third wheel, highly customisable
- Quiet shutter (no small thing when shooting wildlife or in a quiet environment)
- 27 AF points (useful for birds in flight, more selectable points)
- Electronic shutter option
- Much better dust removal system (I notice a big difference from my K-S2)
- Faster processer
- P-Line programming
- Slightly faster frame rate
- More sophisticated exposure metering
- Metering to -3EV (compared to 0EV for the K-70)
- Although the flippy screen (K-70, K-S2) is more versatile, the tilt screen on the KP is probably more durable

Thank you for this helpful list, Des. I hadn't realised there were so many differences, but I have already made the choice for the KP, mainly because of its three customisable e-dials - it's great to have the three basics of exposure instantly available for adjustment. The one feature I have missed from the K-70 is the full-articulation of the screen compared with the KP's tilt screen - the former is useful for shooting at any camera angle, whereas the latter is only for the camera in landscape orientation.

Philip

[ehrwien]

How common is this? Has Pentax fixed this issue? Apparently it is caused by a build up of magnetism in the aperture armature mechanism. Looks like older Pentax cameras didn't have this issue. I would hate to buy a K-70 only to have it go bad on me in a year or two.

A few points, if that should happen:

1) KAF4 lenses will still work as they always did because their aperture is operated differently. Most prominently the DA 55-300 PLM, but also the newly released DA* 16-50/2.8 PLM. The DFA* 50/1.4, DFA* 85/1.4 and DFA 70-210/4 as well, but I imagine those are not exactly lenses to match with an APS-C camera.

I could totally imagine using just the 55-300 PLM on a "broken" K-70 for the rest of its lifetime.

2) Manual lenses (with a physical aperture ring) will still work.

3) The fix is not that hard to do yourself (if you don't have two left hands). The worst part will likely be getting hands on a spare white solenoid to replace the one in the camera.