[yucatanPentax]

If I look at the number of shops that have it on display, not to good. If I look at the fact that a little while ago the K-3 Mark III was on sale with the kitlens 18-135 for less than body only and the fact that there are no enthousiasts to buy the all black version from the internetshops or Pentax.eu, I guess the public demand was bigger than the public buying... Now with black Friday coming they are looking for a boost in sales and € 300 less for that camera is a big discount. The older K-1 II just gets € 200 knocked off.

I can't really understand your point here. It may be entirely my fault. However, it seems like it is pretty typical of every company to introduce a product at a list price, then eventually reduce the price a bit after all the initial craziness of demand for the new product reduces a bit.

I don't see how packaging deals or a slight price reduction is much of a sign of anything. It seems like SOP for most companies.

[redpit]

If I was buying a new camera, I would buy a jet black version, but not if it was released 6-9 months after the regular version, and I had already bought one of those. I suspect that most everyone that wanted a K-3 III already had one by the time that came out, and didn't need to pay for another one.

Exactly. At least I would get a jet black one if they had the option when the K-3iii was released and I bought mine.

[volosong]

Has there been any data on how well the K-3 iii is selling?

Don't know the numbers, and we consumers probably will never get them. But, I got one! Didn't really need it as I am completely satisfied with my K1. Was excited with the high ISO capabilities and that I could put my APS-C lenses to use that have been gathering dust since purchasing the K1. Still getting used to the K3 iii. So far, I like it...a lot!

[Rondec]

I think it is doing decently.

Have any of you seen how far the market as a whole has dropped over the last couple of years? I know Nikon is making money, but looking at their sales volume, it simply fell off a cliff after Quarter 3 of 2020 and has been pretty terrible ever since. DPR: Nikon's Q2 financials show better-than-expected revenue... - PentaxForums.com

With this in mind, it is hard to know how to evaluate current sales except simply to ask the question if the K-3 III will turn a profit by the end of its life cycle. I'm guessing it will and so that's probably as good as you can expect.

[RICHARD L.]

All my lenses seem to perform better with this new K3 III body. Very satisfied with my purchase.

[normhead]

Looks good Richard.

[luftfluss]

I don't even remember Panasonic ever giving revenue figures for their camera division.

We may not have revenue figures from Panasonic, Clackers, but from comments earlier this year by the president of the company, one could surmise sales are not too good.

digicame-info.com

Akira Toyoshima (photo), President of Panasonic Entertainment & Communications Corporation (PEAC), gave a joint press conference on March 15... The company will shift its revenue source from the existing TV and camera business, which is not expected to grow significantly in the future due to the rapid progress of Chinese and Korean manufacturers and the spread of smartphones. Specific figures were not disclosed.

In addition to new businesses, the company has identified TVs with a high degree of installation flexibility, video mirrorless cameras, headphones, and intercoms as growth business areas.

There have been several speculations about the sale of Panasonic's camera business in newspapers and magazines several times before, but since the president's latest statement lists video mirrorless cameras as a growth business area, it seems likely that the camera business will continue to focus on video mirrorless models. However, since he stated that the existing camera business "cannot be expected to grow," it seems likely that the camera business will be downsized with respect to areas other than video mirror-less cameras.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

IMO this shows, once again, that Pentax's slow trickle of product is the wisest move.

[Rondec]

We may not have revenue figures from Panasonic, Clackers, but from comments earlier this year by the president of the company, one could surmise sales are not too good.

digicame-info.com

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

IMO this shows, once again, that Pentax's slow trickle of product is the wisest move.

MILCs offer the promise of a short-term bump in sales. If Pentax released a K-02 they would probably sell more of them in the short run than the K-3 III has sold. The problem is that once the initial sales are done and everyone who wants one has one, there isn't really any place to go.

Cell phone cameras are good enough now that people who just want point and shoot level quality go for them. ILCs are good enough that people who do eventually purchase one can make them last five or six years rather than the 2 to 3 years that was commonplace ten years ago when cameras and sensors were both improving leaps and bound from generation to generation.

[mlag]

Can't we guestimate from our Serial n⁰ data Pentax K-3 III Serial Numbers - Pentax Serial Number Database - PentaxForums.com
Probably need to split in badges/series (with(out) lens, black, silver...?)

Recent sales seems less or the slow 2022, 1y after launch, buyers are less prone to enter numbers...?

[jersey]

IMO this shows, once again, that Pentax's slow trickle of product is the wisest move.

I am not really sure about this. If Pentax was trickling with some plan or sense then it would be ok, but as is now it lacks coherence and it is really a mixed bag of modern (very few), relatively modern (lots), OMG how outdated (some).


I was talking lately with some photographers and general opinion about Pentax was that it lacks appealing system. I mean you get K-3 Mk III and... what? No lenses to go by with it other then 16-50PLM. You need to get older constructions and then you can as well get K-3 Mk II - no difference. You get nice FA lenses and then you are stuck with rather old K-1 Mk II, not to mention that there is one(?) FA* zoom.

I would not be surprised if, after initial rush, K-3 Mk III was not really good sales wise, there is really no system around that camera to attract anyone else then Pentaxians who already have lenses or people who want OVF.

Ugh, OT is rising it's ugly head

[Jonathan Mac]

Europe and I suspect rest of the world is rather insignificant for Ricoh. Japan is the main front of their work and if K33 sells well there they will make new with specs expected on home market and rest of the world will get scrapes as usual.

I don't think that's true, it reminds me very much of what they said about Minidisc before it disappeared - that it still sold well in Japan and would never disappear...

In some European markets (UK, France) Pentax are better known and sell more than in other countries.

I suspect the K-3 III is selling quite poorly, though I've no doubt it's a great camera. That's based on the number of complaints on this and other forums about the lack of a tilting screen being a red line and the cost when compared to the rest of the market (for the same price you can get FF or a camera that also does great video or has amazing AF etc etc) plus the fact that the whole market's gone down to the toilet since the last major Pentax camera release.

[normhead]

The K-3iii is the first pro-body I didn't buy within 6 months of release. My K-3 I pre-ordered. I still feel that overall, the KP is more appealing, because of the aforementioned flippy screen. But, it's more about the cost. If I was buying , I'd have to consider a D500 with a 150-600 or a KP.

[gatorguy]

The K-3iii is the first pro-body I didn't buy within 6 months of release. My K-3 I pre-ordered. I still feel that overall, the KP is more appealing, because of the aforementioned flippy screen. But, it's more about the cost. If I was buying , I'd have to consider a D500 with a 150-600 or a KP.

Having owned the KP I find the K3III in an utterly different league in both ergonomics and customization, and definitely more appropriate for moving critters and sports. Truthfully it's not even that much larger as far as I'm concerned though the weight difference may be noticable. But the D500 is massive in comparison, larger even than your K1. I do like the 150-600 though and wish Tamron would do a K-mount for the G2 version.

[manishved]

All my lenses seem to perform better with this new K3 III body. Very satisfied with my purchase.

Awesome pics. Did you find any improvement in AF speeds - especially with moving objects?

[normhead]

Having owned the KP I find the K3III in an utterly different league in both ergonomics and customization, and definitely more appropriate for moving critters and sports. Truthfully it's not even that much larger as far as I'm concerned though the weight difference may be noticable. But the D500 is massive in comparison, larger even than your K1. I do like the 150-600 though and wish Tamron would do a K-mount for the G2 version.

Thanks for that gatorguy. But honestly, as long as my K-3 with 150,000 shutter actuations is still working, it's all moot. My issue would be I have very little opportunity for BiFs which is the only place I feel my K-3 is lacking.