[jjeling]

Derek, I'd be more than happy to hear you elaborate on your statement. The 300* that I have paired with my k5 produces some amazing images so Im not sure why you would say its a dog...... I have no experience with the k3 but I'm not sure I would call the 300* a dog by any means. Perhaps you are shooting mostly wildlife so you need the extra resolution but a lens is much more than that.

[Heie]

Derek, I'd be more than happy to hear you elaborate on your statement. The 300* that I have paired with my k5 produces some amazing images so Im not sure why you would say its a dog...... I have no experience with the k3 but I'm not sure I would call the 300* a dog by any means. Perhaps you are shooting mostly wildlife so you need the extra resolution but a lens is much more than that.

He means the autofocus. But if you pair the DA* 300 with your K-5 and love it, now add 8 mpx and remove the AA filter. Just be careful not to cut yourself

[derekkite]

Yes, auto focus. As I said, I have no experience with the iis version. I understand that the pdaf is much more reliable than on the k5. If the image was in focus, I got excellent results. Far too many weren't.

The added resolution of the k3 along with the tack sharp optics of the da300 gives me another 100mm length effectively. I crop most of the shots. On the k5 there was a distance beyond which there was no detail. It may have been focus or the aa filter.

Of all the lenses I have, an F100 2.8, DA 12-24, the da300 was most transformed. The low light focus as well as a working live view focus helps with the macro lens, and the wide lens it's pretty easy to focus. I have a sigma 150-500mm as well, but it is put away until we get more light.

The flash system just works, I really like the built in flash for triggering my metz af50 as slave. The metering seems more consistent. The noise is different than the k5, not dramatically so. I've gotten some very nice high iso low light shots on the k5 over the years, getting to know how far I can push it. I'm not confident yet with the k3, haven't had enough usage yet. It really likes longer exposures, and doesn't seem to display the same hot pixel noise that the k5 did, but that is still a feeling rather than conclusion. I'm also seeing colors in my shots that were muddy on my k5.

If pentax had the k5iis sensor in the k3 package, I would buy it in a heartbeat. The larger resolution sensor is not revolutionary, but holds it's own.

[jjeling]

Thanks Derek. Good information to know. For now it seems as though lenses are in short order. Although the k5 without a doubt serves every need I would have, I doubt I would be happy unless I had a k3 to know I was pushing myself to continually learn. With that being said I will probably hold out for a k3 for now, and perhaps the model after the k3 if I wait long enough..... too bad the 645 won't take my lenses!!! :-)

[jjeling]

OK. So I ended up getting a 60-250 for Christmas. Yeah! I'll be getting the 16-50 in a month or so with my bonus check, but does anyone know what model is going to follow the k3? I'd liketo buy another body as well so iI can dedicate a body to each * lens to eliminate the whole switching lens activity, but don't want to wait for a other body unless its worth it....... any ideas there? Or should I just go ahead with a k3?

[Rondec]

OK. So I ended up getting a 60-250 for Christmas. Yeah! I'll be getting the 16-50 in a month or so with my bonus check, but does anyone know what model is going to follow the k3? I'd liketo buy another body as well so iI can dedicate a body to each * lens to eliminate the whole switching lens activity, but don't want to wait for a other body unless its worth it....... any ideas there? Or should I just go ahead with a k3?

I don't think anyone knows. My guess is that Ricoh will release a 645D sequel, followed by full frame (maybe a K50 sequel thrown in somewhere for good measure), but who knows?

[stormtech]

One point I would like to bring up about shooting with 2 cameras. When I had 2 bodies, I found it very important for them to be of the same generation mainly for the ease of knowing where all the controls are. I started out keeping my K-20D when I bought my K-5 and found it pretty frustrating switching from one camera to the other. Then I bought a second K-5 to replace the K20D and all was much better. To be able to pick up the second camera and just keep on doing what I was doing without having to think about where a certain control button was or where to look in the menu was well worth it.

And another vote for the K-5II or K-5IIs is because from what I have heard the white balance system is different now in the K-3. Having 2 cameras in the K-5 family would make it much easier with any post processing work in my opinion. Say if you were shooting a scene with a K-5 and a K-3 - I think the same images would look quite different and take some serious work to make them look alike.

My upgrade path has been from the K-20D to the K-5 and now the K-5IIs where I firmly have my heels dug in. I am so happy with what I get with my K-5IIs that I have not even had the urge to upgrade to the K-3. In my opinion unless you are in real need of AF tracking in AF-C mode, the K-5IIs would be a better bet.

[Michaelina2]

...Or should I just go ahead with a k3?

May I amend my comment from 12-10-2013 (+1 for the K5 IIs)?

While I still like my K5 IIs, after using the K-3 paired to DA*300, FA 31/1.8 & DA 12-24 for a month in purely cr@p weather, I have no difficulty or reservations recommending the K-3 over the K5 IIs. Once I found a comfortable collection of settings (DNG, SV mode, JPG-Natural color w/Fine Focus +1, NR 100-800 Off, 800-3200 Low, 3200+ Medium), my learning curve is now mostly in post-processing (LR5.3+NIK add-ins). Also, for interior flash enhanced shots, consider a Gary Fong light diffuser for the pop-up (softer shadows and no more red-eye).

In sum, the little bit of learning called for by the K-3 is not that great and worth the time and effort. The K-3 is the future, so give it a chance. I'll be very surprised to hear otherwise from you...

Cheers... M