[BigMackCam]

Firstly, let me say congratulations to the OP. Looking forward to hearing how you get on with the KP - that's a fine-looking camera

As I understand it's silver painted plastic body? Looks not good.

No, it's a metal frame with a plastic top panel. Per the hands-on review on this website:

Pentaxians have come to expect every new DSLR to be fully weather-sealed, and the KP delivers on that point.
...
It also upgrades the K-70's mostly-plastic exterior with a metal frame similar to the ones used for Pentax flagships.
...
The KP's metal body doesn't span the top of the camera, but this doesn't affect the color or feel or the finish.
...
Ultimately, this isn't a bad compromise between build quality and affordability, as the KP still feels exceptionally solid. Inside, there's another metal chassis holding everything in place.

[ogl]

It seems to me old cameras of Pentax had better plastic. Maybe I'm wrong, but I touched K-S2 and the body seems cheaper than even my old K200D.

One user from Penta-Club tried KP at the Russian's dealer presentation - he said that previous cameras from plastic looks better.
It could be subjectively.

[BigMackCam]

It seems to me old cameras of Pentax had better plastic. Maybe I'm wrong, but I touched K-S2 and the body seems cheaper than even my old K200D.

One user from Penta-Club tried KP at the Russian's dealer presentation - he said that previous cameras from plastic looks better.
It could be subjectively.

With the K-S2, I think the difference you notice is actually the weight. It's strongly built and the plastics are very good quality, but it's a very light camera (around 500g for the body only), and that can give an impression of lower quality when you're used to heavier models (the lower-end Nikon and Canon models can feel a little "cheap", but they're also really well made - again, I'm sure it's just the weight). My Samsung GX-10 (K10D clone) has a plastic outer body shell, but it feels even more substantial than my all-metal K-5, K-3 and K-3II.

I tried a K-70 at a recent camera show and the quality of the plastics was very good indeed. I suspect they've used similar material for the top panel of the KP and K-1...

[ogl]

It's OK

[shiner]

It seems to me old cameras of Pentax had better plastic. Maybe I'm wrong, but I touched K-S2 and the body seems cheaper than even my old K200D.

One user from Penta-Club tried KP at the Russian's dealer presentation - he said that previous cameras from plastic looks better.
It could be subjectively.

It would be illogical to ever go down in polymer qualities. The science and tech of high strength polymers is always advancing but the cost doesn't really skyrocket, so it would be crazy not to use the best material available for the purpose. Consider the ubiquitous ultra-strong polymer pistol frames. The K-S2 and K70 (I own both) are both solid and robust bodies, and only the top and a few small parts of the KP and K-1 are not metal, anyway. That person who said that "previous cameras from plastic look better" likely was biased for one reason or another.
That said, I well remember the Minolta XG series. I was working for Minolta as a repair technician in 1978 when that body was unleashed on the US. It was a plastic frame, and I'm not talking about the good kind, either, lol. Screws would commonly strip out and we would have to use a larger one. Not to mention the electronics sucked. There was a constant flood of returned XG's. I always remember one customer's letter where he remarked that he was surprised that his THIRD replaced camera didn't explode in his hands.

[ogl]

But the plastics could be different, K200D and K-S2 are made from different polymers. Or it could be a bit different technology.

I feel it by fingers and by my eyes. New polymer could be not worse than old material, right, but it looks different.

[ogl]

You Tube

You Tube

It seems to me I'm right - it's confirmed that the plastic looks cheap

[howieb101]

Pentax KP Hands-On Field Test - YouTube

It seems to me I'm right - it's confirmed that the plastic looks cheap

Umm, this is one person's view in the entire world. If someone says it looks great does that make it suddenly the best looking camera in the world. People like different things and value different things. That's the great thing about humanity.

Anyway, you seem to discount those who like it and automatically agree with someone who agrees with your viewpoint. That's fine but believe it or not some of those who already own the camera do seem to like it.

[ogl]

Umm, this is one person's view in the entire world..

Not one.

Nobody says that plastic of KP is great. Just OK.

[BigMackCam]

Not one.

Nobody says that plastic of KP is great. Just OK.

Boris, your repeated negativity is unfortunate (and not just in this thread). The OP actually owns a KP, and he says the plastic top panel looks good. Why wouldn't you trust someone who actually owns one? Perhaps you could simply be happy for him and congratulate him on his fine new camera, instead of picking fault with something you don't own and haven't used?

[Foxbat]

Why wouldn't you trust someone who actually owns one? Perhaps you could simply be happy for him and congratulate him on his fine new camera, instead of picking fault with something you don't own and haven't used?

Confirmation bias - Wikipedia

Ogl has decided long ago that KP is not good enough and was a bad decision by Ricoh, hence any positive reviews are disregarded, while any opinions similar to his own are used to proove his point.

[sibyrnes]

I have to say-the KP does not look or feel cheap to me. I have never had a silver one in hand but my black KP has a look and feel of quality.

[shiner]

Confirmation bias - Wikipedia

Ogl has decided long ago that KP is not good enough and was a bad decision by Ricoh, hence any positive reviews are disregarded, while any opinions similar to his own are used to proove his point.

"Confirmation Bias"

[troika]

When I handled a KP at a demo day recently, I wasn't entirely sure about it, but build quality was not an issue. It looked and felt like a very fine camera.

...But I got distracted by the K-1 they had there too. Would like another chance to handle both.

[mikesbike]

It appears to me as a quality product, and is quite a beautiful design. There were some complaints way back regarding the last Pentax flagship 35mm film SLR, the MZ-S, that it seemed cheap and plasticky, even though being of magnesium alloy construction. Its smaller, lighter body gave such an impression to those used to a heavier camera. I have both a black and a silver version of that model- it is very well made, though light-weight. It is substantially lighter than a KP!

I like the changeable grip idea. I can see where the vertical front control dial takes a bit of real estate from the grip, maybe a horizontal one could have had a smaller housing with more room for grip hight. The reviewer was obviously used to a heavier design and more substantial grip. He would have been happier had he been using the optional battery grip. The concept is, to offer something of very high performing imaging quality in an APS-C DSLR, that is closer in compactness to the mirrorless models, but expandable in size and handling when needed. I anticipate I will be happy with the smallest grip when I am going about with a prime kit of Limiteds, like the 21mm, 40 or 43mm, and the 77mm. Or maybe the medium grip when I decide going with a slightly larger kit, the 20-40mm plus 77mm. I will also buy the battery grip. Going with larger lenses, if I use the KP instead of the K-5 IIs, I may well employ the battery grip, which certainly will provide adequate finger room and secure holding!

When using larger lenses, I tend to hold from underneath the lens anyway while actually shooting, but battery grips are more secure for overall handling with larger lenses, as well as doing lots of vertical shots.

I am curious as to how I will like the extra top-knobs control layout, if I will actually make use of what they offer, to justify the lack of a top LCD. I've had similar thoughts regarding the K-1. The reviewer was right about the bargain the K-70 represents! At the same time, he acknowledges several advanced aspects where the higher KP cost is justified. And it is indeed essentially a metal-body design, unlike the K-70 . I am looking forward to getting a KP!