Pentax K3 iii for wildlife photography or .....

Gyroscope · 04-17-2021, 08:19 PM

I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1. I have done a lot of wildlife photography with Canon gear in the past in Australia and Africa but have since sold it all to focus on landscape photography and buy into the 645Z system. I'm feeling like I'd like to get back into it and am sure the K3ii and a 150-450 (or 300 f4+extender) would probably be a decent setup. The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good.

Any thoughts one way or the other?

bertwert · 04-17-2021, 08:37 PM

Personally, I think the K-3iii and 150-450 looks like a pretty amazing and versatile setup for wildlife, and definitely something that'd be making it's way to me if I had a bit more disposable income for such... but also, you may as well wait a wee bit longer and see what reviews and user experiences say, as I know there's plenty of folks on the forum here who already shoot amazing wildlife shots with older Pentax cameras that are planning on getting the K-3iii, so their input will be interesting to hear...

One3rdEV · 04-17-2021, 09:44 PM

Hmmm- I imagine you are going to find your dilemma to be in the company of quite a few others fairly soon. If you are not in an immediate hurry then I also think it could be wise to wait long enough to evaluate feedback from users of the K-3 III. In a sense this is a choice between:
- Sensible = past familiarity with the alternative choice, notable cost advantage (used equipment), longer focal length (600 vs 450mm), in-lens stabilization.
- Passion = depending on your enthusiasm for Pentax ethos, K-3 III development gains (IQ, OVF quality, ergonomics / GUI improvements to increase attention on the subject matter, IBIS and other enhancements), lens compatibility with your existing K-1.

robjmitchell · 04-18-2021, 02:10 AM

Originally posted by Gyroscope

I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1. I have done a lot of wildlife photography with Canon gear in the past in Australia and Africa but have since sold it all to focus on landscape photography and buy into the 645Z system. I'm feeling like I'd like to get back into it and am sure the K3ii and a 150-450 (or 300 f4+extender) would probably be a decent setup. The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good.

Any thoughts one way or the other?

The one thing of real potential benefit with the K3III would be improved ISO performance.
Also Canon has gone all in on mirrorless, so if you prefer optical then it may get tricky if you need to replace the body.

brewmaster15 · 04-18-2021, 02:27 AM

Quote:

I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1

that alone makes a compelling case for the k3 mark iii and the Dfa.

I have seen some killer images taken with the dfa 150-450 on older pentax bodies...I'd be really surprised if the new k3 doesn't perform even better...I will let you know as thats why I bought mine.

On the price matter if you price used equipment against new equipment used looks like the better deal...but its used so factor it in.

Good luck.

**aslyfox** · 04-18-2021, 04:28 AM

if you don't have to act immediately

and you don't care about the premium sets

I would advise waiting to get the real world experiences of others with the K 3 III and perhaps a price dip

angerdan · 04-19-2021, 02:17 AM

Originally posted by Gyroscope

The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good.
Any thoughts one way or the other?

7D Mark II is without eye detection. K-3 III offers face detection and AF follows the eyes.

So K-3 III could be the better choice for wildlife.
neocamera.com/camera_compare.php?model[]=1031&model[]=742&model[]=986&compare=

https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=ugixOiozDhA

https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=ME8uizZvslU

https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=PeUGBFFw4ok

Last edited by angerdan; 04-19-2021 at 03:47 AM.

noelpolar · 04-19-2021, 04:05 AM

mmm..... lot's of thoughts covered above..... all I can add (as a dfa 150-450 owner.... used it on K3, KP but mostly K1.... and have pre ordered a K3III)..... is that .... a little down the road once the gear is purchased..... so price mostly forgotten....you may find it pleasant to have a 150-450 that can work well on FF and Crop.

I often see nice "scapes" when walking around the bush at wildlife.

Gyroscope · 04-20-2021, 05:36 AM

I'm certainly in no hurry and will wait for some real world reviews before making a decision for sure.

Mike.P® · 04-21-2021, 09:25 AM

I use a 7D MKII and Sigma 150-600mm sport for wildlife, I also have the K-1 and 150-450mm & 1.4x Wr

I am hoping the tracking on the K-3 III is at least as good as the 6 year old Canon (or the D500 I had before that) AND that Ricoh bring out a **-600mm lens (or at least team up with Tamron again). If it is then I will ditch the Canon gear, if not then I will probably end up jumping the other way.

waiting for reviews and a price drop ... I'm in no hurry.

mtkeller · 04-21-2021, 09:46 AM

Originally posted by Mike.P®

that Ricoh bring out a **-600mm lens (or at least team up with Tamron again).

I think the Tamron combination is most likely. The DA 1.4x teleconverter gets up over 600mm, but the combo is slower at the long end. There's nothing on the roadmap for that focal length, but that doesn't mean something couldn't be added if they sell enough K-3 iii's to motivate serious attention to sports and wildlife shooters.

**mlt** · 04-21-2021, 10:56 AM - **2 Likes**

Over 5 years since the Pentax 150-450 was introduced, I don’t thing rebranding a Tamron 150-600 g2 would harm sales of the Pentax lens and would probably improve K3iii and K1 sales.

mtkeller · 04-21-2021, 10:59 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by mlt

Over 5 years since the Pentax 150-450 was introduced, I don’t thing rebranding a Tamron 150-600 g2 would harm sales of the Pentax lens and would probably improve K3iii and K1 sales.

I'm definitely iffy on the 150–450. (Renting one this summer.) I would probably buy a rebadged Tamron 150–600 g2, assuming that the price comes in around the 150–450. (The Pentax price premium for the Tamron rebadges compared to Tamron MSRP is hard to predict.)

**mlt** · 04-21-2021, 11:07 AM - **1 Like**

Renting is a good plan if you’re iffy on buying the 150-450. Mine gets plenty of use on both my K1 and K3, can’t wait to try it on the new K3iii

mtkeller · 04-21-2021, 11:25 AM

Originally posted by mlt

Renting is a good plan if you’re iffy on buying the 150-450. Mine gets plenty of use on both my K1 and K3, can’t wait to try it on the new K3iii

I'm going to try the 150–450 and the 11–18 on my new K-3 iii as rentals this summer. I have ultra wide covered with the Sigma 10–20 f/3.5, but the AW and f/2.8 of the 11–18 has my attention. My longest is the DA*300mm plus HD DA 1.4x teleconverter. Since I get to drive on that trip, I will likely bring way too much gear, but that means I can get serious about trying comparisons to see what works best for me.

04-17-2021, 08:19 PM	#1
Gyroscope Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 166	Pentax K3 iii for wildlife photography or ..... I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1. I have done a lot of wildlife photography with Canon gear in the past in Australia and Africa but have since sold it all to focus on landscape photography and buy into the 645Z system. I'm feeling like I'd like to get back into it and am sure the K3ii and a 150-450 (or 300 f4+extender) would probably be a decent setup. The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good. Any thoughts one way or the other?

04-18-2021, 04:28 AM	#6
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,581	if you don't have to act immediately and you don't care about the premium sets I would advise waiting to get the real world experiences of others with the K 3 III and perhaps a price dip Last edited by aslyfox; 04-18-2021 at 04:43 AM.

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04-17-2021, 08:37 PM	#2
bertwert Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Golden, BC Posts: 15,173	Personally, I think the K-3iii and 150-450 looks like a pretty amazing and versatile setup for wildlife, and definitely something that'd be making it's way to me if I had a bit more disposable income for such... but also, you may as well wait a wee bit longer and see what reviews and user experiences say, as I know there's plenty of folks on the forum here who already shoot amazing wildlife shots with older Pentax cameras that are planning on getting the K-3iii, so their input will be interesting to hear...

04-17-2021, 09:44 PM	#3
One3rdEV Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: So-central, MI Posts: 285	Hmmm- I imagine you are going to find your dilemma to be in the company of quite a few others fairly soon. If you are not in an immediate hurry then I also think it could be wise to wait long enough to evaluate feedback from users of the K-3 III. In a sense this is a choice between: - Sensible = past familiarity with the alternative choice, notable cost advantage (used equipment), longer focal length (600 vs 450mm), in-lens stabilization. - Passion = depending on your enthusiasm for Pentax ethos, K-3 III development gains (IQ, OVF quality, ergonomics / GUI improvements to increase attention on the subject matter, IBIS and other enhancements), lens compatibility with your existing K-1.

04-18-2021, 02:10 AM	#4
robjmitchell Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Melbourne Aus Posts: 1,776	Originally posted by Gyroscope I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1. I have done a lot of wildlife photography with Canon gear in the past in Australia and Africa but have since sold it all to focus on landscape photography and buy into the 645Z system. I'm feeling like I'd like to get back into it and am sure the K3ii and a 150-450 (or 300 f4+extender) would probably be a decent setup. The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good. Any thoughts one way or the other? The one thing of real potential benefit with the K3III would be improved ISO performance. Also Canon has gone all in on mirrorless, so if you prefer optical then it may get tricky if you need to replace the body.

04-18-2021, 02:27 AM	#5
brewmaster15 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Location: CT Posts: 1,860	Quote: I like the look of the K3iii and I already have a 645z and K1 so it would be nice to complete the set with a camera that shares batteries, flash (not that I use flash often) and can at least share lenses with the K1 that alone makes a compelling case for the k3 mark iii and the Dfa. I have seen some killer images taken with the dfa 150-450 on older pentax bodies...I'd be really surprised if the new k3 doesn't perform even better...I will let you know as thats why I bought mine. On the price matter if you price used equipment against new equipment used looks like the better deal...but its used so factor it in. Good luck.

04-19-2021, 02:17 AM	#7
angerdan Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,639	Originally posted by Gyroscope The problem is I know I could pick up a used 7D2 or 90D and a Sigma 150-600 Sports for maybe half of the cost and I know that the canon AF in a 7D2 is amazing and will do the job and I think the Sigma lens is pretty good. Any thoughts one way or the other? 7D Mark II is without eye detection. K-3 III offers face detection and AF follows the eyes. So K-3 III could be the better choice for wildlife. neocamera.com/camera_compare.php?model[]=1031&model[]=742&model[]=986&compare= https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=ugixOiozDhA https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=ME8uizZvslU https://www.youtube.com//watch?v=PeUGBFFw4ok Last edited by angerdan; 04-19-2021 at 03:47 AM.

04-19-2021, 04:05 AM	#8
noelpolar Veteran Member Join Date: Oct 2013 Location: Goolwa, SA Photos: Gallery Posts: 4,310	mmm..... lot's of thoughts covered above..... all I can add (as a dfa 150-450 owner.... used it on K3, KP but mostly K1.... and have pre ordered a K3III)..... is that .... a little down the road once the gear is purchased..... so price mostly forgotten....you may find it pleasant to have a 150-450 that can work well on FF and Crop. I often see nice "scapes" when walking around the bush at wildlife.

04-20-2021, 05:36 AM	#9
Gyroscope Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Photos: Gallery Posts: 166 Original Poster	I'm certainly in no hurry and will wait for some real world reviews before making a decision for sure.

04-21-2021, 09:25 AM	#10
Mike.P® Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: New Milton, Hampshire, UK Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,154	I use a 7D MKII and Sigma 150-600mm sport for wildlife, I also have the K-1 and 150-450mm & 1.4x Wr I am hoping the tracking on the K-3 III is at least as good as the 6 year old Canon (or the D500 I had before that) AND that Ricoh bring out a **-600mm lens (or at least team up with Tamron again). If it is then I will ditch the Canon gear, if not then I will probably end up jumping the other way. waiting for reviews and a price drop ... I'm in no hurry.

04-21-2021, 09:46 AM	#11
mtkeller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Sioux City, IA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by Mike.P® that Ricoh bring out a **-600mm lens (or at least team up with Tamron again). I think the Tamron combination is most likely. The DA 1.4x teleconverter gets up over 600mm, but the combo is slower at the long end. There's nothing on the roadmap for that focal length, but that doesn't mean something couldn't be added if they sell enough K-3 iii's to motivate serious attention to sports and wildlife shooters.

04-21-2021, 10:56 AM - 2 Likes	#12
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,159	Over 5 years since the Pentax 150-450 was introduced, I don’t thing rebranding a Tamron 150-600 g2 would harm sales of the Pentax lens and would probably improve K3iii and K1 sales.

04-21-2021, 10:59 AM - 1 Like	#13
mtkeller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Sioux City, IA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by mlt Over 5 years since the Pentax 150-450 was introduced, I don’t thing rebranding a Tamron 150-600 g2 would harm sales of the Pentax lens and would probably improve K3iii and K1 sales. I'm definitely iffy on the 150–450. (Renting one this summer.) I would probably buy a rebadged Tamron 150–600 g2, assuming that the price comes in around the 150–450. (The Pentax price premium for the Tamron rebadges compared to Tamron MSRP is hard to predict.)

04-21-2021, 11:07 AM - 1 Like	#14
mlt Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1,159	Renting is a good plan if you’re iffy on buying the 150-450. Mine gets plenty of use on both my K1 and K3, can’t wait to try it on the new K3iii

04-21-2021, 11:25 AM	#15
mtkeller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Sioux City, IA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by mlt Renting is a good plan if you’re iffy on buying the 150-450. Mine gets plenty of use on both my K1 and K3, can’t wait to try it on the new K3iii I'm going to try the 150–450 and the 11–18 on my new K-3 iii as rentals this summer. I have ultra wide covered with the Sigma 10–20 f/3.5, but the AW and f/2.8 of the 11–18 has my attention. My longest is the DA*300mm plus HD DA 1.4x teleconverter. Since I get to drive on that trip, I will likely bring way too much gear, but that means I can get serious about trying comparisons to see what works best for me.