Upgrade to KP from K-r?

**bestcoast** · 02-17-2021, 09:59 PM

Originally posted by UncleVanya

I own the K-3 and recently upgraded to the KP as I mentioned earlier. I almost bought the k-3II when I bought my K-3 - but I really wanted onboard flash and had not need of GPS and it was about $200 cheaper per copy on the special deal I had and I was buying a pair of them. In the end the decision was the right one I think.

As to replacement for the KP - no such camera is in the pipeline that we know of. And Ricoh just announced the K-3III is delayed due to supply issues. (other manufacturers are also experiencing problems with supply chain due to Covid). Even if there was a miracle and a previously unannounced camera replaced the KP it would likely be priced around $1100 or $1200 vs. the $700 the KP is offered at right now. BUY IT before someone plays Lucy to your Charlie Brown and the KP deal vanishes!

I was waiting for the K3iii and just went with the KP. Anyone looking to upgrade from a K3 or older should just get the KP now. It's sooooo good!!

MrB1 · 02-18-2021, 03:47 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by mikesbike

Yet, on-camera, the combined weight will be about the same as a K-3 II, and will be LESS than the forthcoming K-3 III without their battery grips!

K-3 II = 785g. KP = 703g. The difference is equivalent to the mass of a D-Li90 battery.
So if you attach a D-BG7 battery grip, with a D-Li90 battery, to a KP, the battery grip must have almost zero mass.

(It actually adds about 380g to the mass of the KP.)

Philip

Jonathan Mac · 02-18-2021, 04:32 AM

The KP is a very significant upgrade from the K-r, especially in AF and low-light image quality, which is what you need. If you're in the US I think the KP is much cheaper than it is in many other markets.

**mikesbike** · 02-18-2021, 04:50 AM

I don't know how I got that equivalent, but I suspect I had compared to the K-1 II, then later got it mixed up as being the K-3 II. Oops! The battery grip does add a meatier feel, and the camera can grow from svelte to impressively beefy. Yet not as beefy as my K-5 IIs with its battery grip attached. I don't know of any other design that can change progressively in its feel and handling via using various grips the way the KP can change!

Last edited by mikesbike; 02-18-2021 at 05:01 AM.

Martowski · 02-18-2021, 08:53 AM

Is there any advantage in term of autofocus speed and accuracy of going with the K-3 II for shooting stuff like gymnastics indoors? The only reason I ask is pretty much every review I read says don't get the KP for sports or action photography due to the inaccurate autofocus tracking, but would a used K-3 II be any better? Or is this just the nature of Pentax cameras?

**mikesbike** · 02-18-2021, 02:17 PM

At this point, the KP represents the leading edge for Pentax AF tracking. It is claimed the forthcoming K-3 III will be the best action-shooter yet from Pentax. We'll see. But I am quite successful already with my KP. Pentax cameras have long been criticized for trailing other brands in this regard, but I've had no issue with it. Tracking is when using all of the AF sensor points in the frame, usually with continuous AF, so if a moving subject changes location within the frame other AF points will pick up the subject to keep focus on track. With continuous AF, the shutter will fire even if the subject is not in focus. I find sharpening my skill in panning to keep up with the subject's movement is the most important factor, and thus prefer to use more limited central AF points or even spot AF. I sometimes shoot college or club-level hockey, including roller hockey, which is very fast-moving, indeed. Practice makes perfect for the players and for the photographer! I get lots of keepers, even though one never knows when the puck will be shot, so I have to be near instantaneous with the trigger, and following the play actively. I also position myself in a strategic, advantageous spot. Very often I get the puck flying through the air showing clear detail of its features.

The only possible advantage for the K-3 II would be a deeper buffer for doing lots of burst shooting, but the KP is well above it for low light shooting. And some have said the KP's buffer clears fast to compensate somewhat for its smaller size. Shooting JPEGs instead of RAW will result in better performance here. I don't do very much in the way of burst shooting, which is virtually always done using continuous AF, and with more chances for missed focus. Even if most are in focus, I don't want to spend time going over hundreds of shots from bursts to determine which to keep. I try to get the shot right in the first place rather than spray and pray. I use the half-press a lot, really a lot for AF when shooting action. Though the system of AF is basically the same between the K-3 II and KP, the KP is a newer model, and may have updates or tweaks within that system. I have read some occasional complaints regarding AF from owners of the K-3 II saying their K-5 II was even more reliable, but that is rare. However, mention of improved AF from the KP has been very common, and I do not recall any complaints. It is harder to tell a difference with lenses having their own built-in motors, but some have reported improvement with these as well, and I know for sure AF is better with my screw-driven lenses- faster and more sure on my KP!

Martowski · 02-18-2021, 02:23 PM

Thanks! I just placed my order from Adorama for a KP. Excited to get this in as an upgrade for my K-r, which will stay in the closet as a back-up!

**pandres** · 02-18-2021, 02:31 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

I am currently shooting a K-r with the Tamron 70-200 1:2.8 for my daughter's gymnastics, which are typically in event halls and gyms with poor lighting. Would jumping from my 10+ year old K-r to a KP give me a significant jump in exposure quality? Thanks!

I use my KP with that lens for my sons handball matches (and for semipro adults league too) and I'm very satisfied with that combination. The low ISO capabilities of the KP combined with its good focusing performance (at least compared with my previous K5) make it a very good camera for the fast action and poor lighting conditions of such events.

I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera a lot.

Martowski · 02-18-2021, 06:56 PM

Originally posted by pandres

I use my KP with that lens for my sons handball matches (and for semipro adults league too) and I'm very satisfied with that combination. The low ISO capabilities of the KP combined with its good focusing performance (at least compared with my previous K5) make it a very good camera for the fast action and poor lighting conditions of such events.

I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera a lot.

Thanks, that's great to hear! Looking forward to getting this in and getting familiar with it.

Martowski · 02-26-2021, 08:50 AM - **3 Likes**

I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn.

One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually).

Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it.

timb64 · 02-26-2021, 09:27 AM

Enjoy your new camera,the more time you spend with it the more you’ll love it!

jgnfld · 02-26-2021, 03:01 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn.

One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually).

Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it.

I started a thread on KP look and feel over this exact point a while ago. The KP literally sang in my hands the first time I held one. I may be weird, but it has a wonderful feel to me. Many on the thread agreed.

KP look and feel - PentaxForums.com

**mikesbike** · 02-26-2021, 04:08 PM

Originally posted by Martowski

I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn.

One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually).

Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it.

Good for you! Enjoy! No doubt you'll love its image quality. And yes, it sure is a very unique and very cool camera! Don't forget the bit I gave about setting up "Fine Sharpening" in the Custom Image menus, especially in the normally-used "Bright" category. Access is via the info button, which provides a control screen for quick links to various adjustments without having to scroll through all menus. Then the 4 buttons around the ok button are for navigation. Just be sure your mode dial is not set on ""Auto" as this will deny access and disable those marvelous controls as well. Use the "P" mode if you wish full exposure automation.

Martowski · 02-26-2021, 04:20 PM

Originally posted by mikesbike

Good for you! Enjoy! No doubt you'll love its image quality. And yes, it sure is a very unique and very cool camera! Don't forget the bit I gave about setting up "Fine Sharpening" in the Custom Image menus, especially in the normally-used "Bright" category. Access is via the info button, which provides a control screen for quick links to various adjustments without having to scroll through all menus. Then the 4 buttons around the ok button are for navigation. Just be sure your mode dial is not set on ""Auto" as this will deny access and disable those marvelous controls as well. Use the "P" mode if you wish full exposure automation.

Thanks! Yes, I actually did go in and set it to fine sharpening. I saw there was another level like extra sharpening or something. In your experience was that too much?

**mikesbike** · 02-27-2021, 06:25 PM

I think Fine Sharpening the way to go, as it seems oriented to fine detail. You could also elevate sharpening level up one more notch if desired, which in the "Bright" setting means up by +2 from "0" mid-point and of course with the FS implemented. The camera seems to handle this well without unwanted side effects from what I've noticed. This setup would not necessarily be appropriate when switching to the "Portrait" category, which will also have a different color palette for skin tones, because having fine detail and pin-point sharpness might not be so flattering to less than very smooth-skinned subjects.

02-18-2021, 02:17 PM	#21
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	At this point, the KP represents the leading edge for Pentax AF tracking. It is claimed the forthcoming K-3 III will be the best action-shooter yet from Pentax. We'll see. But I am quite successful already with my KP. Pentax cameras have long been criticized for trailing other brands in this regard, but I've had no issue with it. Tracking is when using all of the AF sensor points in the frame, usually with continuous AF, so if a moving subject changes location within the frame other AF points will pick up the subject to keep focus on track. With continuous AF, the shutter will fire even if the subject is not in focus. I find sharpening my skill in panning to keep up with the subject's movement is the most important factor, and thus prefer to use more limited central AF points or even spot AF. I sometimes shoot college or club-level hockey, including roller hockey, which is very fast-moving, indeed. Practice makes perfect for the players and for the photographer! I get lots of keepers, even though one never knows when the puck will be shot, so I have to be near instantaneous with the trigger, and following the play actively. I also position myself in a strategic, advantageous spot. Very often I get the puck flying through the air showing clear detail of its features. The only possible advantage for the K-3 II would be a deeper buffer for doing lots of burst shooting, but the KP is well above it for low light shooting. And some have said the KP's buffer clears fast to compensate somewhat for its smaller size. Shooting JPEGs instead of RAW will result in better performance here. I don't do very much in the way of burst shooting, which is virtually always done using continuous AF, and with more chances for missed focus. Even if most are in focus, I don't want to spend time going over hundreds of shots from bursts to determine which to keep. I try to get the shot right in the first place rather than spray and pray. I use the half-press a lot, really a lot for AF when shooting action. Though the system of AF is basically the same between the K-3 II and KP, the KP is a newer model, and may have updates or tweaks within that system. I have read some occasional complaints regarding AF from owners of the K-3 II saying their K-5 II was even more reliable, but that is rare. However, mention of improved AF from the KP has been very common, and I do not recall any complaints. It is harder to tell a difference with lenses having their own built-in motors, but some have reported improvement with these as well, and I know for sure AF is better with my screw-driven lenses- faster and more sure on my KP! Last edited by mikesbike; 02-18-2021 at 02:26 PM.

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02-17-2021, 09:59 PM	#16
bestcoast Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: British Columbia Posts: 62	Originally posted by UncleVanya I own the K-3 and recently upgraded to the KP as I mentioned earlier. I almost bought the k-3II when I bought my K-3 - but I really wanted onboard flash and had not need of GPS and it was about $200 cheaper per copy on the special deal I had and I was buying a pair of them. In the end the decision was the right one I think. As to replacement for the KP - no such camera is in the pipeline that we know of. And Ricoh just announced the K-3III is delayed due to supply issues. (other manufacturers are also experiencing problems with supply chain due to Covid). Even if there was a miracle and a previously unannounced camera replaced the KP it would likely be priced around $1100 or $1200 vs. the $700 the KP is offered at right now. BUY IT before someone plays Lucy to your Charlie Brown and the KP deal vanishes! I was waiting for the K3iii and just went with the KP. Anyone looking to upgrade from a K3 or older should just get the KP now. It's sooooo good!!

02-18-2021, 03:47 AM - 1 Like	#17
MrB1 Pentaxian Join Date: May 2013 Location: Hertfordshire, England Posts: 845	Originally posted by mikesbike Yet, on-camera, the combined weight will be about the same as a K-3 II, and will be LESS than the forthcoming K-3 III without their battery grips! K-3 II = 785g. KP = 703g. The difference is equivalent to the mass of a D-Li90 battery. So if you attach a D-BG7 battery grip, with a D-Li90 battery, to a KP, the battery grip must have almost zero mass. (It actually adds about 380g to the mass of the KP.) Philip

02-18-2021, 04:32 AM	#18
Jonathan Mac Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Madrid, Spain Posts: 10,897	The KP is a very significant upgrade from the K-r, especially in AF and low-light image quality, which is what you need. If you're in the US I think the KP is much cheaper than it is in many other markets.

02-18-2021, 04:50 AM	#19
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	I don't know how I got that equivalent, but I suspect I had compared to the K-1 II, then later got it mixed up as being the K-3 II. Oops! The battery grip does add a meatier feel, and the camera can grow from svelte to impressively beefy. Yet not as beefy as my K-5 IIs with its battery grip attached. I don't know of any other design that can change progressively in its feel and handling via using various grips the way the KP can change! Last edited by mikesbike; 02-18-2021 at 05:01 AM.

02-18-2021, 08:53 AM	#20
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Is there any advantage in term of autofocus speed and accuracy of going with the K-3 II for shooting stuff like gymnastics indoors? The only reason I ask is pretty much every review I read says don't get the KP for sports or action photography due to the inaccurate autofocus tracking, but would a used K-3 II be any better? Or is this just the nature of Pentax cameras?

02-18-2021, 02:23 PM	#22
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Thanks! I just placed my order from Adorama for a KP. Excited to get this in as an upgrade for my K-r, which will stay in the closet as a back-up!

02-18-2021, 02:31 PM	#23
pandres Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2019 Posts: 8	Originally posted by Martowski I am currently shooting a K-r with the Tamron 70-200 1:2.8 for my daughter's gymnastics, which are typically in event halls and gyms with poor lighting. Would jumping from my 10+ year old K-r to a KP give me a significant jump in exposure quality? Thanks! I use my KP with that lens for my sons handball matches (and for semipro adults league too) and I'm very satisfied with that combination. The low ISO capabilities of the KP combined with its good focusing performance (at least compared with my previous K5) make it a very good camera for the fast action and poor lighting conditions of such events. I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera a lot.

02-18-2021, 06:56 PM	#24
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Originally posted by pandres I use my KP with that lens for my sons handball matches (and for semipro adults league too) and I'm very satisfied with that combination. The low ISO capabilities of the KP combined with its good focusing performance (at least compared with my previous K5) make it a very good camera for the fast action and poor lighting conditions of such events. I'm sure you will enjoy your new camera a lot. Thanks, that's great to hear! Looking forward to getting this in and getting familiar with it.

02-26-2021, 08:50 AM - 3 Likes	#25
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn. One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually). Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it.

02-26-2021, 09:27 AM	#26
timb64 Pentaxian Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: /Situation : Doing my best to avoid idiots! Photos: Gallery Posts: 9,510	Enjoy your new camera,the more time you spend with it the more you’ll love it!

02-26-2021, 03:01 PM	#27
jgnfld Moderator Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,789	Originally posted by Martowski I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn. One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually). Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it. I started a thread on KP look and feel over this exact point a while ago. The KP literally sang in my hands the first time I held one. I may be weird, but it has a wonderful feel to me. Many on the thread agreed. KP look and feel - PentaxForums.com

02-26-2021, 04:08 PM	#28
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	Originally posted by Martowski I just got my KP in yesterday! Wow, what a cool camera. There's so much on this with the function dials, so much more flexibility than my K-r had... I have a lot to learn. One thing I kept hearing reviews talk about was how uncomfortable the KP is to hold. After putting the large grip on this I'm like seriously, people are complaining about this? I guess we live in a day and age when, if something isn't perfectly calibrated to our exact ergonomics and we have to move our fingers 2 millimeters, people complain about it. I used to shoot with an old 35mm MX back in the 1990s and some how the "lack of ergonomics" on my MX never seemed to even enter my mind (and I still have the MX, actually). Anyway, happy to have this new camera and looking forward to learning more about it. Good for you! Enjoy! No doubt you'll love its image quality. And yes, it sure is a very unique and very cool camera! Don't forget the bit I gave about setting up "Fine Sharpening" in the Custom Image menus, especially in the normally-used "Bright" category. Access is via the info button, which provides a control screen for quick links to various adjustments without having to scroll through all menus. Then the 4 buttons around the ok button are for navigation. Just be sure your mode dial is not set on ""Auto" as this will deny access and disable those marvelous controls as well. Use the "P" mode if you wish full exposure automation.

02-26-2021, 04:20 PM	#29
Martowski Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Posts: 105 Original Poster	Originally posted by mikesbike Good for you! Enjoy! No doubt you'll love its image quality. And yes, it sure is a very unique and very cool camera! Don't forget the bit I gave about setting up "Fine Sharpening" in the Custom Image menus, especially in the normally-used "Bright" category. Access is via the info button, which provides a control screen for quick links to various adjustments without having to scroll through all menus. Then the 4 buttons around the ok button are for navigation. Just be sure your mode dial is not set on ""Auto" as this will deny access and disable those marvelous controls as well. Use the "P" mode if you wish full exposure automation. Thanks! Yes, I actually did go in and set it to fine sharpening. I saw there was another level like extra sharpening or something. In your experience was that too much?

02-27-2021, 06:25 PM	#30
mikesbike Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Southeastern Michigan Posts: 4,549	I think Fine Sharpening the way to go, as it seems oriented to fine detail. You could also elevate sharpening level up one more notch if desired, which in the "Bright" setting means up by +2 from "0" mid-point and of course with the FS implemented. The camera seems to handle this well without unwanted side effects from what I've noticed. This setup would not necessarily be appropriate when switching to the "Portrait" category, which will also have a different color palette for skin tones, because having fine detail and pin-point sharpness might not be so flattering to less than very smooth-skinned subjects.