[sumitkar1971]

Not a a Peep out of Ricoh/Pentax on the timing or even possibility of the K3-2 Successor. That's the camera that I would love to have with my Pentax APSC optimized lenses. The K3 2 is a fantastic APSC camera with superb ergonomics, brilliant IQ, outstanding build and is a joy to shoot with. I am just wishing the successor has improved autofocus, slightly better high iSO performance and a tilt screen - 24 MP is enough for me. Any one have any insight on the possible release of the successor?

[Adam]

It'll come in due time Maybe we'll hear something at Photokina or CP+ 2017 (more likely).

[stevebrot]

It'll come in due time Maybe we'll hear something at Photokina or CP+ 2017 (more likely).

What he said ^ ^ ^

The K-3 is not yet three years old and the K-3II not yet 18 months old.


Steve

[boriscleto]

What he said ^ ^ ^

The K-3 is not yet three years old and the K-3II not yet 18 months old.


Steve

The K-1 isn't even a year old yet. Photokina is going to be all about the K-1 and the D FA lenses. Maybe some mock-ups of the D FA primes.

[UncleVanya]

If let the k70 simmer a bit more and see what if anything is learned from it to feed back to the new camera.

Is want to keep dual slots and most ergonomics in the existing designs. I would prefer better video and some type of twist/tilt screen.

24mp seems fine,

[pathdoc]

With reference to any particular piece of technology, it is prudent to begin work on a successor even before the item in question is released. However, that doesn't mean you have to ram them out into the market in such rapid succession that an unready successor risks taking sales away from a proven winner.

In the case of any new APS-C flagship, what we are going to have is almost certainly an APS-C variant of the K-1, incorporating not only most of its tech but also all the lessons learnt from the K-1 so far. Those are going to take some time to be gathered in and carefully incorporated into the successor's design, so that what we get is the integrated seamless whole that the K-1 was, not a hotch-potch of things fitted together and thrown out the door to gather sales.

What we're going to get will make clear to everyone that despite its K-3-like feature set, the K-70 is very definitely NOT a flagship-level APS-C camera.

[planteater]

24mp seems fine,

24Mp with no AA filter is absolutely fine! However, that's the sensor spec of the (potentially) outgoing K3-II and the entry-level K-70. A new flagship APS-C would have to improve on that to command any price differential. The next logical step is, what, 30-32 Mp? I really can't see anything coming in the next 3 weeks that blows the K3-II or K-70 away. I would like to be proved wrong!

Alternatively, Ricoh could give us a K3-III with the same sensor but articulated screen and other minor (but very useful) upgrades.

[RonHendriks1966]

Looking at the comparison of camera's. There isn't much to upgrade on the K-3ii unless something changes drasticly.

Putting K-1 tech in the K-3iii
- Safox 12 module
- x-sync would stay 1/180 unless it gets a new shutter mechanism.
- SR ii system for stabilisation
- no new sensor is shown by Sony yet, so a Quick upgrade would stay with 24mp.
- PRIME IV image engine.

An overhaule of the electronics would be great, but that is a major upgrade.

So it could also take another year for an upgrade.

[pathdoc]

If you keep the filter-less sensor and the same megapixels, it would seem to me that the only real improvements to make lie in the area of:

1) Control interface, i.e. more knobs for less menu-diving, much as we saw on the K-1 (perhaps a flash compensation setting could replace the crop setting, because that will not be needed on an APS-C camera).

2) Image quality, whether in terms of general across-the-board improvements, better SNR for low light/improved high-ISO performance

3) Lower base ISO or much improved performance at existing ISO ceilings (I do not think any effort should be made to chase high ISO).

4) Improvements in buffer size and burst rates.

5) Detailed and careful integration of the K-1's AF and SR modules, with improvements wherever possible and any changes required to better match the APS-C-only nature of the camera (among other things, a smaller sensor will require a different set of transfer functions to drive the stabiliser motors appropriately, which will just about add up to another generation of SAFOX development).

[Na Horuk]

Aren't the K-1 and K-70 enough??

The K-3II and K-70, especially with PS, are already pushing the limits of APSC and are, in terms of image quality, right at the top of the APSC game this season. What OP described is already mostly found in the K-70, no?

[stevebrot]

Looking at the comparison of camera's. There isn't much to upgrade on the K-3ii unless something changes drasticly.

Putting K-1 tech in the K-3iii
- Safox 12 module
- x-sync would stay 1/180 unless it gets a new shutter mechanism.
- SR ii system for stabilisation
- no new sensor is shown by Sony yet, so a Quick upgrade would stay with 24mp.
- PRIME IV image engine.

An overhaule of the electronics would be great, but that is a major upgrade.

So it could also take another year for an upgrade.

That is pretty close to my wish list too. I have mixed feelings about adding some sort of tilt screen. The K-3/K-3II is heavy enough. I would like a red-screen LCD option and maybe a few of those cool chassis LEDs. I did some sky photography a few nights ago and was getting tired of doing the controls by feel.


Steve

[jimr-pdx]

With reference to any particular piece of technology, it is prudent to begin work on a successor even before the item in question is released. However, that doesn't mean you have to ram them out into the market in such rapid succession that an unready successor risks taking sales away from a proven winner.

Yes please learn from Nikon and don't follow! I swear they have brought out so many 3/5/7xxx cameras that reviews arrive outdated because the next body is already out.

---------- Post added 09-04-16 at 14:06 ----------

p.s. let me know when the first of you to use every K-3ii feature has done so..

[Venom3300]

I expect they might milk it another year. The K-3II is hard to touch in other brands at the same price.

Sure a D500 or 7DII might be better in some areas (sports), but look at the price difference ($850 vs $1500-2000)

[FantasticMrFox]

24Mp with no AA filter is absolutely fine! However, that's the sensor spec of the (potentially) outgoing K3-II and the entry-level K-70. A new flagship APS-C would have to improve on that to command any price differential. The next logical step is, what, 30-32 Mp?

By that logic the Nikon D500 shouldn't have a 20MP sensor - but it has! And one that gets amazingly close to FF sensors in its image quality.

Alternatively, Ricoh could give us a K3-III with the same sensor but articulated screen and other minor (but very useful) upgrades.

Between the same sensor and a 30+MP sensor, have you considered the option of a new 24MP sensor with improved image quality? Because I doubt Pentax will use the same sensor for three consecutive cameras, while other manufacturers are getting ahead in image quality.

[Driline]

With reference to any particular piece of technology, it is prudent to begin work on a successor even before the item in question is released. However, that doesn't mean you have to ram them out into the market in such rapid succession that an unready successor risks taking sales away from a proven winner.

In the case of any new APS-C flagship, what we are going to have is almost certainly an APS-C variant of the K-1, incorporating not only most of its tech but also all the lessons learnt from the K-1 so far. Those are going to take some time to be gathered in and carefully incorporated into the successor's design, so that what we get is the integrated seamless whole that the K-1 was, not a hotch-potch of things fitted together and thrown out the door to gather sales.

What we're going to get will make clear to everyone that despite its K-3-like feature set, the K-70 is very definitely NOT a flagship-level APS-C camera.

We'll said Pathdoc.......well said.