[aleonx3]

I think it would be pretty cool if the new version of k-3 can support different focus point selection (may be 3 or 5 would be good enough) for manual focusing with K/M/A m42 lenses.

[Madaboutpix]

Okay, here is my personal wish list for a K-3 successor:

• (Don't make it too attractive because I'm gonna have to skip that one, as I tend to shoot my bodies for several years till I can afford an upgrade. )
• built-in GPS
• solid articulating LCD (c'mon, you've done it on the 645Z, Ricoh, because you dig it!), but no touch screen please - I want my buttons and dials, not a chronically smeared LCD ...
• faster, more tracking-capable AF, with more and expanded spread of AF points
• shorter flash syncro speed, advanced flash options
• improved high-ISO capabilities
• but do keep that rugged, compact, no-bullshit, deep-grip design - it is a real differentiator!
• (meaningful, viable video options, especially with regard to AF, focus peaking, and mechanical Shake Reduction - might warm me towards video, and iffy features in that department have become a show-stopper for many possible buyers)

They need to come up with better in lens motors -- not just from a longevity standpoint, but also from a speed standpoint. DC motors seem to be better than SDM, but at this point that is what keeps Pentax from being decent with regard to auto focus and tracking compared to the other companies out there.

Yep, fully agree. The questionable speed gain and the unacceptable failure rate - perceived or real - of their SDM has kept me from investing in DA* lenses so far. I suspect it is a screw-up that has cost Pentax dearly.

That said, the K-3 remains by far the most capable and satisfying camera I've ever owned!

[zapp]

What can we expect from Pentax? What does the company stand for? What is its niche?
Olympus makes small cameras with small sensors and spectacular lenses, Sony makes cameras without mirror and FF sensors with several huge and some smaller lenses. Canon and Nikon make big cameras with big lenses. Pentax already makes small cameras with lenses smaller than Sony and sensors larger than Olympus. Really a tricky position between pears.
Sensor stabilization like in Olympus or Sony with 5 DOF - a given within the next 2 years.
Larger pixel pitch than 4 micron - basically means fullframe - since Pentax relies on Sony sensors.
More lenses with interesting specs, more lenses overall... Without larger pixel pitch, we need faster glass to improve available light photography of moving subjects.
Interesting would be a good implementation of a design without mirror to keep the size small and stick to APS-C sensors.
Everything else will be improvements and little features, nothing to show where Pentax wants to go...

[kadajawi]

You can also increase the pixel pitch by going for BSI sensors that leave less space between the pixels. IIRC Samsung claims that their 28 MP sensor has bigger pixels than their previous 20 MP sensor... or at least similar sized ones. Unfortunately Samsung is currently the only sensor maker that has such sensors. Maybe Sony will get it too, they have it for much smaller sensors. Who knows where other manufacturers are at.

[devouges]

I vote for a tilting screen. Not necessarily a full 360 degree one but at the very least, a tilting screen that I can use when I want to take a picture with the camera close to the ground.

I am getting too old to lay down rapidly to take a picture.......

[NeilGratton]

I've only had my K-3 (my first Pentax DSLR - was with Canon before) for just under a month, and so far I've been extremely happy.

However, last night I tried shooting basketball with it, and the Autofocus was struggling with fast movement and mediocre light. It's the only serious drawback I've found to date. I anticipated this, but as sports and wildlife shooting are not 'money shots' for me, it didn't put me off buying the camera. Oh, I'd also like some focus points spread out further across the image, rather than being all in the middle third.

GPS and articulated screens have no attraction for me, personally. A camera without an articulated screen appears more robust to me, which I like. I would use wi-fi sometimes if it was available though (haven't acquired the flu card yet).

I would sometimes use an in-camera panorama option, if one was available. (Actually, I'm surprised they didn't put this in the Q7, too).

I presume any full-frame (which I'm not mentioning, honest) would be a separate line rather than a K-3 replacement. The fact that Pentax has invested quite heavily in APS-C specialised lenses makes FF a slightly more complex issue for Ricoh, I suspect.

[deus ursus]

Uncrippled mount! That's all I ask for. I want to use my M lenses on a digital camera also (with metering).

[Des]

Not a feature, but how about bundling with better lenses? Maybe the new 16-85 and forthcoming 70-200-ish.

[interested_observer]

How about a tethering interface supporting some of the better third party software. Pentax use to have its own tethering software utility, up through the K20. Then it disappeared. Now, they have a utility for the 645Z (built on the K3), for - from what I remember they were going to charge $200 for it. I did read somewhat of a review in passing and the author was not impressed. So, just figure out the functional interface. Implement it on the USB port and be done with it already. It is not rocket science. Pentax knows exactly what needs to be done. Just do it.

[hjoseph7]

A built in Graduated Neutral density filter. Wider latitude(11mm+) on the Composition feature.

[kadajawi]

How about a tethering interface supporting some of the better third party software. Pentax use to have its own tethering software utility, up through the K20. Then it disappeared. Now, they have a utility for the 645Z (built on the K3), for - from what I remember they were going to charge $200 for it. I did read somewhat of a review in passing and the author was not impressed. So, just figure out the functional interface. Implement it on the USB port and be done with it already. It is not rocket science. Pentax knows exactly what needs to be done. Just do it.

Just give us an API that gives us access to the camera. That would be the ideal solution. People can come up with better software, and with new ideas to use the camera.

[Blue]

I'd like to say a FF sensor, but that's apparently not allowed in this thread.

How about a larger sensor?

[Flugelbinder]

...we need faster glass to improve available light photography...

Yes, please...

[mmichalak]

@ Kerrowdown, @Blue
I saw what you did there with your larger sensor wishes

Well… regardless, of what we want in the next K3, it seems it is very probable that it will have some kind of tilting screen if we judge from the current prototype in CES.

I think that would be a very welcome addition

[jonby]

Focusing screen/finder which actually allows you to focus accurately
Ability to hide autofocus markings completely so you have an unencumbered view of your composition
Persistent display of set aperture/shutter speed/ISO values on the top plate when the camera is off
Ability to superimpose a previously captured image over the current composition within live view (for accurate reconstruction of composition)
Ability to compare two non-consecutive captured images in playback mode
Ability to show/hide your preferred info overlay with a single button press in playback mode
Clear indication of whole stop values for shutter speed/aperture/ISO in viewfinder/status screen/top LCD (eg. a small asterisk icon appears next to the value when it is a whole stop value)
+1 for autofocus bracketing. Autofocus will never be 100% accurate
+1 for flippy screen

I don't care about video personally, but they really need to sort it out or ditch it completely so that it's not a constant target for criticism in reviews. Forget 4K - good quality 1080 without issues would do.
Flash sync speed needs to be higher for similar reasons
Wired tethering needs to be an option as standard