[elementdtlop]

Anytime I read about the k5 I hear about issues it had with focusing taupe? i think it was and the AA filter etc. When did this quirks become apparent? was it during the reign of the k5 or well after like when the k5 IIs was released and i think the issues were fixed? not entirely sure of the history as I'm relatively new. I'm just curious if the k3 has any quirks or issues that it is known/notorious for like the k5 had that people found that would make it undesirable. i know the k3 ii is already out, but the k3 seems like a good jump to make at the price because not many things were really updated with the k3 ii that i can tell to justify the price difference. so who can tell me whats wrong with the k3 that the k3 ii improves upon or the next release hopefully might. thanks.

[Lowell Goudge]

I think you need to explain focusing taupe because even a Google search in the term shows no hits.

[Adam]

Anytime I read about the k5 I hear about issues it had with focusing taupe? i think it was and the AA filter etc. When did this quirks become apparent? was it during the reign of the k5 or well after like when the k5 IIs was released and i think the issues were fixed? not entirely sure of the history as I'm relatively new. I'm just curious if the k3 has any quirks or issues that it is known/notorious for like the k5 had that people found that would make it undesirable. i know the k3 ii is already out, but the k3 seems like a good jump to make at the price because not many things were really updated with the k3 ii that i can tell to justify the price difference. so who can tell me whats wrong with the k3 that the k3 ii improves upon or the next release hopefully might. thanks.

The K-3 and K-3 II are almost identical- read our review for the differences.

There are no known QC issues with the K-3 that haven't been resolved or really any issues that would make it worse than older models. Some people are annoyed about the fact that there's no sensor shift SR in video mode, but the manual controls make up for it IMO.

[stevebrot]

There were issues with the K-5, but not anything having to do with "taupe" or the AA filter.

As for the K-3, the only issue that gained any particular notoriety was the runaway mirror syndrome where the mirror would cycle wildly. It is unclear how wide-spread that fault was, though it is undeniable it affected a significant number of users on this site. It took some months, but the problem was finally characterized and a hardware fix made available for affected cameras summer of 2014. From all indications production since that time has been essentially free of the problem.


Steve

(...K-3 owner since April 2014 with no particular issue...)

[HYS]

I had no problems with the K-5. The only "issue" it had was the occasional multiple exposure when pressing the button halfway. But not systematically. Now my K-3 has no problems. I would say it's an excellent camera for me.

[Davidparis]

Anytime I read about the k5 I hear about issues it had with focusing taupe? i think it was and the AA filter etc. When did this quirks become apparent? was it during the reign of the k5 or well after like when the k5 IIs was released and i think the issues were fixed? not entirely sure of the history as I'm relatively new. I'm just curious if the k3 has any quirks or issues that it is known/notorious for like the k5 had that people found that would make it undesirable. i know the k3 ii is already out, but the k3 seems like a good jump to make at the price because not many things were really updated with the k3 ii that i can tell to justify the price difference. so who can tell me whats wrong with the k3 that the k3 ii improves upon or the next release hopefully might. thanks.

No idea what focus taupe is, but the K-5iis without AA filter like the K-3 models, has never, ever under any occasion, posed any problems whatsoever. What a great camera! That doesn't prevent one from lusting over the next upgrades however...The K-5 and its iterations have been an absolute classic for Pentax and they are highly still highly regarded and widely used today.

[Sagala]

Big problem with taupe

[Rondec]

The original K5 had trouble shooting in tungsten light and odd focusing behavior associated with that. This was fixed in the K5 II and the K3 does not struggle at all in these situations.

Other than that, I don't know of any K5 focusing issues.

[MasMax]

I'm relatively new to Pentax and have been using a k-3 for the last 5 months or so, under all sorts of different situations, and to this day all I can tell you is that I have not had one single problem with my camera. Luv my K-3 !!!!!

[activeflush]

Apart from the tungsten focusing issue, the K5 also had a well known PTTL bounce flash overexposure problem / inaccuracy.

Looking at the other threads this seems to have been fixed on the K3 onwards - some people say even fixed on the K5ii.

[Murfy]

I have had the k3 for a little over a year and havent seen any across the board issues other than the mirror flap which I have never experienced and has been fixed. I have never had a k5 so I dont know any issues there.

[elementdtlop]

tungsten not taupe sorry haha that shrew is so taupe

[ZackHuggins]

I'm glad to read about the tungsten focusing issue, actually. I bought a second-hand K5 earlier this year as my introduction to Pentax in the lead up to the full-frame and I was having a devil of a time getting any shots in focus in tungsten light. It initially gave me second thoughts about the brand as a whole, but I'm glad to know it's been resolved in newer cameras. I rented a K-3 for a roadtrip not too long ago and didn't really get a chance to test it in low light situations.

[stevebrot]

It initially gave me second thoughts about the brand as a whole

It shouldn't. PDAF problems with tungsten light have been present in SLR models from all makers, not just Pentax.


Steve

[audiobomber]

It shouldn't. PDAF problems with tungsten light have been present in SLR models from all makers, not just Pentax.

The K-5 was a backward step. The K-5's troubles with AF accuracy in low and coloured light are well documented. Auto-focus improvement was the sole reason for the K-5 II to exist.

My K-5 had severe front-focus in tungsten light, which was not helped by the firmware update that was supposed to resolve the issue. Other people with the same problem who sent their K-5's back for service reported no improvement, so I returned it for a refund. Here it is vs. the K-x and K20D I owned at the time. The older cameras had no such issue:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/100586096103361553535/albums/595550601384...MCaztnRvoDm0AE

I've owned a K-3 for 2 years. I had mirror flap three times. I have not experienced mirror flap since the firmware fix was rolled out. It is a magnificent camera, easily superior to a K-5, in resolution, metering, autofocus accuracy, low light focus acquisition and tracking.