[caliscouser]

Well there seems to be a lot of negativity in the other threads so I just wanted to say thanks Ricoh for making this camera. I'm really digging it.

I think a lot of the Pentax base are critiquing this camera as a K3ii successor, which clearly it is not.
For those folks we still have the brilliant K3ii which will shortly be available at a very nice end of production pricing. If the K3ii is not enough the K3iii (or equivalent) will be coming. And of course there is the K-1.

So what is the KP about and who is it for?

- Well it almost seems like they made it for me! I like like to run the Limited lenses in a rugged compact mirror-less size package that I can carry all day, but still has full DSLR controls, WR capability, optical viewfinder, and can produce close to full-frame type image quality. (perhaps no coincidence they feature it with the 20-40, another widely misunderstood product)
- It looks like a fairly low-cost investment for Ricoh piggy-backing off K3-ii/K70 tech that potentially keeps some of the Pentax base in the fold who may have been tempted by Fuji/Oly.
- It potentially pulls in some people from other systems who are shopping for a rugged capable compact system with full WR options.
- An interesting option for the K-30/K-50/K-5 folks who never got to the K-3/K-70 and are looking for an upgrade down the road.

As for the criticisms:
No LCD...... don't care. If you need this K3ii or K3iii is your camera.
Video / 4K....don't care. But I get it is an issue for some.
Focusing....I've honestly found the K5iis focusing perfectly fine for my needs once I dialed it in. Any improvements are gravy.
Battery.....with the improved electronics integration, battery life may be better than expected. If you need more there is the optional grip.

I could see this camera replacing my K5iis/K30 combo down the road.

The market will ultimately give its verdict. But I'm very interested to see how this camera does.
Looking forward to the hands-on reviews!

---

Last edited by caliscouser; 01-25-2017 at 09:37 PM.

[Steve.Ledger]

Top LCD is redundant when you have a tiling back screen.

[mee]

Top LCD is redundant when you have a tiling back screen.

Have you ever shot astrophotography (that is, photographed at night)?

That giant, glowing LED display kills it when the little, top LCD does the job of dialing in the settings.

I usually keep the LED rear screen off (outside of image review) and just use the top LCD even during the day. The rear LED screen is such a distraction imo.

I won't buy a camera today that doesn't have a top LCD panel.

[gm4life]

Well there seems to be a lot of negativity in the other threads so I just wanted to say thanks Ricoh for making this camera. I'm really digging it.

I think a lot of the Pentax base are critiquing this camera as a K3ii successor, which clearly it is not.
For those folks we still have the brilliant K3ii which will shortly be available at a very nice end of production pricing. If the K3ii is not enough the K3iii (or equivalent) will be coming. And of course there is the K-1.

So what is the KP about and who is it for?

- Well it almost seems like they made it for me! I like like to run the Limited lenses in a rugged compact mirror-less size package that I can carry all day, but still has full DSLR controls, WR capability, optical viewfinder, and can produce close to full-frame type image quality. (perhaps no coincidence they feature it with the 20-40, another widely misunderstood product)
- It looks like a fairly low-cost investment for Ricoh piggy-backing off K3-ii/K70 tech that potentially keeps some of the Pentax base in the fold who may have been tempted by Fuji/Oly.
- It potentially pulls in some people from other systems who are shopping for a rugged capable compact system with full WR options.
- An interesting option for the K-30/K-50/K-5 folks who never got to the K-3/K-70 and are looking for an upgrade down the road.

As for the criticisms:
No LCD...... don't care. If you need this K3ii or K3iii is your camera.
Video / 4K....don't care. But I get it is an issue for some.
Focusing....I've honestly found the K5iis focusing perfectly fine for my needs once I dialed it in. Any improvements are gravy.
Battery.....with the improved electronics integration, battery life may be better than expected. If you need more there is the optional grip.

I could see this camera replacing my K5iis/K30 combo down the road.

The market will ultimately give its verdict. But I'm very interested to see how this camera does.
Looking forward to the hands-on reviews!

I think it is a nice camera maybe a tad higher priced than I hoped. If it would have had a dual memory card slot and a top LCD display even if small it would be perfect. Either way when I committed to getting into photography a few months back, I knew I would need a second body with different strengths and weaknesses when compared to my K3II this will fit the bill nicely. Pre-ordered in black, along with pre-ordering the battery grip and also nabbing the 20-40 to go with it as well, can't resist that body/glass combo. If this is the topline APS-C crop camera, I am ok with it as I have my K3II or if they replace the K3II with a more expensive top tier, 1,500 flagship that is OK with me too. I will have my camera body needs covered for several years, along with the glass, although who knows I might add an item or two.

Just can't wait to get my hands on, kind of bummed per some online reading the battery grip won't be ready till May!

---

Last edited by gm4life; 01-25-2017 at 10:43 PM.

[saladin]

Fortunately for Mee, you wont be forced to buy it.

[ogl]

Well there seems to be a lot of negativity in the other threads so I just wanted to say thanks Ricoh for making this camera. I'm really digging it.

I think a lot of the Pentax base are critiquing this camera as a K3ii successor, which clearly it is not.
For those folks we still have the brilliant K3ii which will shortly be available at a very nice end of production pricing. If the K3ii is not enough the K3iii (or equivalent) will be coming. And of course there is the K-1.

So what is the KP about and who is it for?


As for the criticisms:
No LCD...... don't care. If you need this K3ii or K3iii is your camera.
Video / 4K....don't care. But I get it is an issue for some.
Focusing....I've honestly found the K5iis focusing perfectly fine for my needs once I dialed it in. Any improvements are gravy.
Battery.....with the improved electronics integration, battery life may be better than expected. If you need more there is the optional grip.

no top LCD, old AF system, USB 2.0, no HDMI, battery is too weak (the weakest battery in Pentax history - 390 pictures),
need L hand grip to use battery grip, no hybrid AF, no good control system,
old 3" LCD screen with no good Tilting and 921,000 dots.

[mee]

Fortunately for Mee, you wont be forced to buy it.

So far I've only seen one person mention of pre-ordering, and a few saying maybe down the line (when it gets cheaper).

Perhaps, after a full review or three, there will be more orders. But the general consensus I've read here, and on other forum sites, is not very positive. Not very positive at all.

I'd be on the fence if it had a top LCD panel and the extra SD slot. But alas it does not.

It will be interesting to see exactly how much improved the high ISO performance is. If only to see what Ricoh/Pentax engineers can squeeze out of an APS-C sensor and current electronics.

[Steve.Ledger]

Have you ever shot astrophotography (that is, photographed at night)?

That giant, glowing LED display kills it when the little, top LCD does the job of dialing in the settings.

I usually keep the LED rear screen off (outside of image review) and just use the top LCD even during the day. The rear LED screen is such a distraction imo.

I won't buy a camera today that doesn't have a top LCD panel.

I have photographed at night. With the K-7 I found I had to have the camera at chest level in order to see the top LCD clearly which wasn't always the ideal height as I had to also look through the OVF to compose.
Since all my cameras now have tilting screens (I shoot Olympus atm) I find them so much more useful than a top LCD.

Each to his own

[ffking]

That giant, glowing LED display kills it when the little, top LCD does the job of dialing in the settings.

presumably the rear LCD will have the night vision option and brightness options?

[Foxbat]

no top LCD

Not a pro tier camera - sacrificed for the sake of compactness

old AF system,

Ricoh claims it's improved, compared to K-3II

no HDMI,

It has HDMI connectivity through proprietary port

battery is too weak (the weakest battery in Pentax history - 390 pictures),

Buy several spares then? If body became slimmer due to smaller battery, it's a win in my book.

no good control system

If it doesn't work for you, doesn't mean it won't work everyone else. I like three dials - I will put exposure compensation on third dial and program top plate Fx button to serve as ISO control and Fx1 to serve as AE lock - this will be enough to replicate my current K-5II setup.

old 3" LCD screen with no good Tilting and 921,000 dots.

That tilting mechanism is exactly what I miss in my K-5II

[redpit]

Have you ever shot astrophotography (that is, photographed at night)?

That giant, glowing LED display kills it when the little, top LCD does the job of dialing in the settings.

I usually keep the LED rear screen off (outside of image review) and just use the top LCD even during the day. The rear LED screen is such a distraction imo.

I won't buy a camera today that doesn't have a top LCD panel.

Have you tried the red night screen mode? If you haven't you have to! The KP has this feature.

[GateCityRadio]

Have you ever shot astrophotography (that is, photographed at night)?

That giant, glowing LED display kills it when the little, top LCD does the job of dialing in the settings.

I usually keep the LED rear screen off (outside of image review) and just use the top LCD even during the day. The rear LED screen is such a distraction imo.

I won't buy a camera today that doesn't have a top LCD panel.

I shot astrophotography with a nex-5...so I mean. I think I would be fine with this camera. And don't the newer pentax cameras have a night mode for the rear LCD? Plus the viewfinder will still have the little LCD in it. The people this is marketing to (people who want to switch to mirrorless) aren't going to miss the top LCD. I shot sony mirrorless for a while, even the top of the line A7's don't have the top LCD....I learned to look to the back screen or viewfinder for this info. Its not very hard to adapt to.

[Foxbat]

The people this is marketing to (people who want to switch to mirrorless) aren't going to miss the top LCD.

I think this is what majority of "This is bad K-3 replacement" crowd are missing - this is not D7200/D80 competitor, this is the camera to stop people like me moving to Fujifilm. Yes, top LCD is useful, I like it and I use it all the time on my K-5II, but I think KP has plenty of features that make up for its removal.

[Not a Number]

presumably the rear LCD will have the night vision option and brightness options?

Indeed it does:
Specifications | PENTAX KP | RICOH IMAGING

Night Vision LCD Display ON/OFF

Plenty of people do astrophotography with their K-30/50 and are perfectly fine without the top LCD.

Note: the Topic of the Tread is "Thanks Ricoh". If you have gripes start a "Why I won't buy the KP" thread.

[Sqideyes]

"Why I won't buy the KP" thread.

Good idea. Done.