[dbs]

Looking back
K7.K5,K3...flagships
Km,Kx,Kr.K500.K30 ,K70,Kp...good but not flagship models

Dave

[reh321]

Looking back on past revisions, you could be correct on the K70 (as it is past the 2 year mark). I would be surprised if Pentax releases a revised KP as the product is still fairly recent and it may send some mixed signals.

When the KP was released, there was some confusion regarding it being the replacement for the K-3II. IF Pentax released a revision to the KP as opposed to a successor to the K-3II, then I imagine it could create some frustration within the community:
- for those who have been patiently waiting for the APS-C Flagship model (realizing energy/attention was spent elsewhere)
- for those that recently purchased the KP (potentially left with a less than desirable model, and the outcomes that typically accompany one)

I certainly hope that it is not the case.

I am one of those who purchased a KP for $700 on Black Friday.
I made my purchase after carefully considering what Pentax might do this year.
The emphasized line will not apply to me.

[reh321]

Based on battery size, one card slot etc. I would have said the K-P was the K-70 successor.

Based on build quality, I believe the KP is more like K-7/5/3 line, so it properly lies between the K-7/5/3 and K-n0 lines.

[bobmaxja]

I have a K-5 and move to the KP , and this is lot better camera. My friend bought the K-3 and I felle the K-3 was not a good improvement over the K-5.

The KP was not the succesor of the K-70 and more a better K-5 at a lower cost. BUt it's not the APSC flagship people were expecting.

[Mountain Vision]

The KP has an accelerator, tilt screen and electronic shutter, and smart dial controls, the K3II did not have those features. So I see the KP as an improvement over the K3II, that's why the KP was introduced and K3II was discontinued. If there is the notion of successor and predecessor, then what was the predecessor of the Pentax KP?

Yet it lacks everything that made the K-3/II a professional camera. But aside from that it's a stellar successor to the K-3 line.

[monochrome]

In my opinion the KP is a camera unto itself, not a near-professional body. It fits a small niche for Pentax enthusiasts. It was designed to produce excellent image files in a package small enough to be comparable to an APSc MILC (with lens mounted) - but it has all the Pentax brand differentiators: excellent ergonomics, durable construction, nice OVF, IBIS, PixelShift, Astrotracer and the Accelerator. Pentax threw in interchangeable grips and a nice tilt screen.

I try not to dwell on what it doesn’t have.

[monochrome]

Yet it lacks everything that made the K-3/II a professional camera. But aside from that it's a stellar successor to the K-3 line.

It is not and was never billed as a professional camera, nor as the K-3 line successor. Just accept that the K-7/K-5/K-3 professional APSc platform architecture was discontinued. It ended. There is no longer a professional APSc Pentax Camera.

There might be in the future, but the KP isn’t it, and was never intended to be.

[Mountain Vision]

It is not and was never billed as a professional camera, nor as the K-3 line successor. Just accept that the K-7/K-5/K-3 professional APSc platform architecture was discontinued. It ended. There is no longer a professional APSc Pentax Camera.

There might be in the future, but the KP isn’t it, and was never intended to be.

I could live with the KP as THE APS-C Pentax if they didn't cripple the buffer. I just don't understand the crippled buffer on a ~$1000 camera. Perhaps they should have done what Fuji did and made the vertical battery grip increase fps (however they made that work, gimmick or otherwise). Maybe it's time to start making these relatively expensive add-on grips start doing some work like additional ram or processor power. Perhaps even make the battery grip have the second card slot.

[reh321]

I could live with the KP as THE APS-C Pentax if they didn't cripple the buffer. I just don't understand the crippled buffer on a ~$1000 camera. Perhaps they should have done what Fuji did and made the vertical battery grip increase fps (however they made that work, gimmick or otherwise). Maybe it's time to start making these relatively expensive add-on grips start doing some work like additional ram or processor power. Perhaps even make the battery grip have the second card slot.

In the two months I've had my KP, I've not yet filled the buffer. The KP was made for me; I hope they make something for you this year.

[monochrome]

I could live with the KP as THE APS-C Pentax if they didn't cripple the buffer. I just don't understand the crippled buffer on a ~$1000 camera. Perhaps they should have done what Fuji did and made the vertical battery grip increase fps (however they made that work, gimmick or otherwise). Maybe it's time to start making these relatively expensive add-on grips start doing some work like additional ram or processor power. Perhaps even make the battery grip have the second card slot.

Those are good ideas. I wonder whether the K-x architecture (the basic internal electronic design - motherboard and the like) would allow the grip to be that sophisticated.

I don’t understand the issue with buffers on Pentax cameras, but I shoot single, or short (3 click) bursts and Small jpeg on the KP. It’s for grandchildren and backyard birds. I rarely fill the buffer. I release backbutton AF, shoot, refocus, release, shoot. I don’t use tracking AF. Maybe I just don’t try to do things the KP won’t do well.

My son shoots Sports/Action for commercial web display. I believe 30,000 releases a year. A 7D with very good lenses does everything he needs.

[Mountain Vision]

In the two months I've had my KP, I've not yet filled the buffer. The KP was made for me; I hope they make something for you this year.

The buffer on the KP would barely suffice for bracketed images. Let's not even get into sports or event work. Nothing is more frustrating than telling a client you need second while the buffer clears. Actually, there is something. Missing shots because the buffer is full and then, if possible, if it's the sort of event you can redo, having to do it over again.

I guess the folks trying to not invest in dual systems are foolish, if you like Pentax for personal use, you still need Canon or Nikon for professional work. I know when I was doing paid work I shot two systems. Although towards the end, I was solely shooting Pentax because Pentax was robust enough by that point.

[sutherland]

I could live with the KP as THE APS-C Pentax if they didn't cripple the buffer. I just don't understand the crippled buffer on a ~$1000 camera.

I definitely wish the buffer was deeper but, for my intended purposes, I wouldn't look to use the KP for capturing a series/sequence of scenes as I have my D500 to fulfill that role. Where I see the KP playing role for me is for the following:
- outstanding image quality
- compact/carry-able camera with all of the controls one could expect from a DSLR
- a better camera than my D500 for Street, Portraits, Landscape

You pay for some things, you let other things go.

[normhead]

I definitely wish the buffer was deeper but, for my intended purposes, I wouldn't look to use the KP for capturing a series/sequence of scenes as I have my D500 to fulfill that role. Where I see the KP playing role for me is for the following:
- outstanding image quality
- compact/carry-able camera with all of the controls one could expect from a DSLR
- a better camera than my D500 for Street, Portraits, Landscape

You pay for some things, you let other things go.

Exactly... you pay for what you really need....if it's a D500, that's great. There's no Pentax police stopping you from buying what you need.

[sutherland]

I don’t understand the issue with buffers on Pentax cameras, but I shoot single, or short (3 click) bursts and Small jpeg on the KP. It’s for grandchildren and backyard birds. I rarely fill the buffer. I release backbutton AF, shoot, refocus, release, shoot. I don’t use tracking AF. Maybe I just don’t try to do things the KP won’t do well.

I agree with this method for action/wildlife/sports. The D500 has about a 200 Raw shot buffer, but I still shoot in bursts.
- press AF to set focus
- shoot
- press AF to set focus
- shoot

IF for example it is a bird in flight, hold down AF and shoot in bursts. If the AF target is behind or ahead of the subject, re-establish the focus area, hold, and shoot. This method ensures that I always target the eye regardless of the bird's movement and not the AF deciding to pick the wing, tail, body, or whatever else that is closer.

This method can be helpful when using any cluster (Dynamic/Zone/Group/<insert other modes here>) of AF points as the AF system can lock on to another part of the subject (closest to the camera).

In either case, RARELY do I ever rattle off 10 straight images in a single shutter actuation. Typically it is a short burst of 3, re-establishing, and another short burst of 3.

[RonHendriks1966]

I would say read the article from Thom Hogan.

The Canon Doomsday Proclamation | DSLRBodies | Thom Hogan

Fewer ILC products. An 8m unit market can't support 50+ models.

So less sales makes manufacturers strip their lineup. Pentax sales are also like 25 % lower. So stripping the line-up is part of the deal.

K-mount
- k-1ii
- KP
- k-70

I think this will go down to one full frame and one aps-c camera. With ofcourse some overlap time in sales from the old model to the new. K-3ii model line is for customers who have moved up to fullframe.