[Tatouzou]

Yep too consumer-ish. The flagship should:

- Have only M mode for real pros.
- Shoot only raw, jpeg is useless
- Have no back screen the information displayed in the OVF is sufficiant
- refuse to shoot if you are not on a tripod
- require a strobist kit with at least 3 flash as lighting for any scene

AFAIK, there is a Leica camera that is close to this spec list, and expensive enough to discourage beginners to buy one.

[Tri_BK]

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.

Use AE-lock button as functioning as Green button for M mode
Assign the AF function for RAW/fx buttons or move AF button to nearby that point.
Add U1,U2,U3 dial steps on MODE dial, even cut down the modes A,P and User if needed.
Built in flash version and gps verion.

[slip]

I wouldn't be surprised that they use the K70 sensor as it outperforms the K3 ii

Randy

[fsge]

I discover this thread as I am one more pentaxian waiting for some colour about K3 ii successor.
I ve read the 10 pages with the hope of finding some time-line but did not find any. I need to upgrade my body within next few months and flagship aps-c is the one missing to have a comprehensive view of Pentax range of models.
Features wise,except OBF which in.my opinion is a must have, I am sure K3 iii specs will be great, Ricoh did a very good job so far with its baby and it deserves some sort of loyalty and trust I suppose.

[mee]

I wouldn't be surprised that they us the K70 sensor as it outperforms the K3 ii

That is one of the reasons why I'm currently waiting to see what they show.. that plus flippy screen, improved wifi, and AF system would make a nice upgrade over the K-3 II versus just buying the K-3 II.

We are in the situation we had a few years ago when the K-5 II was the current crop flagship, the K-30 was just released and had new features that the flagship didn't have.. until months later when the K-3 arrived.

[SteveTheOldMan]

It's all about speeding up the AF. Everything else after that is gravy.

[totsmuyco]

It's all about speeding up the AF. Everything else after that is gravy.

I agree. A lot of the members here are waiting for an improved AF. I'm not a technical person but, from what I've observed faster AF is a double-edged sword. Pentax has to improve camera AF and lens AF. Majority of the Pentax lenses offered in APS-C format are kinda slow. I think there should also be updates on these lenses to improve AF performance. The new 55-300 is a good example. However, removing the aperture lever is making all other cameras obsolete. I bought my K-5II last February 2014. Because of this move, in just two years it became obsolete. It's cruel to people with older cameras if Pentax will no longer have lenses with aperture levers. But who knows? Maybe Pentax is right in doing this. We'll just have to wait and see.

[Nicolas06]

I agree. A lot of the members here are waiting for an improved AF. I'm not a technical person but, from what I've observed faster AF is a double-edged sword. Pentax has to improve camera AF and lens AF. Majority of the Pentax lenses offered in APS-C format are kinda slow. I think there should also be updates on these lenses to improve AF performance. The new 55-300 is a good example. However, removing the aperture lever is making all other cameras obsolete. I bought my K-5II last February 2014. Because of this move, in just two years it became obsolete. It's cruel to people with older cameras if Pentax will no longer have lenses with aperture levers. But who knows? Maybe Pentax is right in doing this. We'll just have to wait and see.

Your camera isn't obsolete because of the apperture lever. There no a single practice/type of lens you could not mount with your K5-IIs and the 55-300 PLM as an equivalent in KAF2 called HD DA55-300. I own it, it does a fine job.

You decide to call it obsolete but that's your choice. It is not like overnight it became a lesser camera or you couldn't buy great lenses for it anymore.

On the opposite, the features present in even old K3 that isn't compatible too that comes with much much better AF to me than K5-IIs or K70 (it is the same AF module indeed) is more relevant as an upgrade yet than the K70 and KAF4. What really count is actual performance and effectiveness than the hype of new KAF4 and the new hybrid sensor PDAF that apply to movies only where the overall performance is still bad anyway.

But the K3 was already available when you brought the K5-IIs, so you did biuy it with the knowledge that a far more effective body was available from day one. A 3 year old body that still much better than K70. You decided you didn't care at that time but now a far less important/visible update that could apply to a single consumer lens with an existing alternative is more important?

TO me you can continue to use you K5-IIs for a few years, it will continue to do it always did. No more, no less.

[reh321]

I agree. A lot of the members here are waiting for an improved AF. I'm not a technical person but, from what I've observed faster AF is a double-edged sword. Pentax has to improve camera AF and lens AF. Majority of the Pentax lenses offered in APS-C format are kinda slow. I think there should also be updates on these lenses to improve AF performance. The new 55-300 is a good example. However, removing the aperture lever is making all other cameras obsolete. I bought my K-5II last February 2014. Because of this move, in just two years it became obsolete. It's cruel to people with older cameras if Pentax will no longer have lenses with aperture levers. But who knows? Maybe Pentax is right in doing this. We'll just have to wait and see.

If the first lens is any indication of how the KAF4 roll-out will go, the lenses released in KAF4 mount will initially be replacements for lenses already existing, so you won't miss anything. Eventually you will buy a new camera body, and you too will be able to use KAF4 lenses. In general, I keep hearing sayings of the sort "You buy a camera body for a few years, but glass is forever.", which implies that people buy bodies much more often than they buy lenses, so a roll-out of this nature shouldn't cost you anything.

[normhead]

It might be hard for you younger guys to understand, but people survived 100 years of photography without built in flash. Built in flash is not even good flash. Any pro worth his salt would have used a tilting bounce flash where ever possible, and we all used to tape home made diffusers over our flashes. Built in flash is just a rudimentary excuse for flash done right. The main result of built in flash, is a lot of really bad flash photography permeating the web.

That's why built in flash is seems consumerist, it's because it is. In the 10 years I've been shooting DSLRs I've used the built in flash maybe 20 times. 15 of those were images just to satisfy people who claimed I just didn't know how to use flash correctly, and that that's why I didn't use it. I still have a bounce flash and a couple slaves and a reflective umbrella and stand around here.

For some of us, no flash is a choice. And automatic geotagging is a godsend.
No, I don't want to pay for flash, just because the great untrained and unwashed masses think they are a good idea. I have at least 4 working flashes in my house. I don't need one stuck on my camera that will significantly reduce my battery life if I use it.

Built in flash is for consumers, not photographers. No matter what you do, they still produce flat light, unless you go to a multi-flash set up, and that can't be built in.

[Nicolas06]

It might be hard for you younger guys to understand, but people survived 100 years of photography without built in flash. Built in flash is not even good flash. Any pro worth his salt would have used a tilting bounce flash where ever possible, and we all used to tape home made diffusers over our flashes. Built in flash is just a rudimentary excuse for flash done right. The main result of built in flash, is a lot of really bad flash photography permeating the web.

That's why built in flash is seems consumerist, it's because it is. In the 10 years I've been shooting DSLRs I've used the built in flash maybe 20 times. 15 of those were images just to satisfy people who claimed I just didn't know how to use flash correctly, and that that's why I didn't use it. I still have a bounce flash and a couple slaves and a reflective umbrella and stand around here.

For some of us, no flash is a choice. And automatic geotagging is a godsend.
No, I don't want to pay for flash, just because the great untrained and unwashed masses think they are a good idea. I have at least 4 working flashes in my house. I don't need one stuck on my camera that will significantly reduce my battery life if I use it.

Built in flash is for consumers, not photographers. No matter what you do, they still produce flat light, unless you go to a multi-flash set up, and that can't be built in.

This is more the current product that what is possible. Nothing prevent to have tiltable built in flash with hss support and a set of well designed accesories for diffusion... All of that would more than help on occasion where a full strobist kit is not practical...

I agree with you that as it is the build in flash is not that great (but consume absolutely no power if you don't use it). The geotagging severely hurt the camera automony if you use it or is as useless if desactivated. It is also used as a spying mechanism to track you and your photos posted on the web if you don't remove exifs. Everybody has its own preferences but between a practical, improved build-in flash and a GPS and astrotracer I would have choosed the first option.

Call it the masses if you want, the reality is if it was that massive use, the built in flash would likely have been kept...

[xmeda]

I agree. A lot of the members here are waiting for an improved AF. I'm not a technical person but, from what I've observed faster AF is a double-edged sword. Pentax has to improve camera AF and lens AF. Majority of the Pentax lenses offered in APS-C format are kinda slow. I think there should also be updates on these lenses to improve AF performance. The new 55-300 is a good example. However, removing the aperture lever is making all other cameras obsolete. I bought my K-5II last February 2014. Because of this move, in just two years it became obsolete. It's cruel to people with older cameras if Pentax will no longer have lenses with aperture levers. But who knows? Maybe Pentax is right in doing this. We'll just have to wait and see.

Lenses are fast, camera is slow. DA55-300 is a bad example as it is cheap consumer low end lens. And in fact this lens acquires focus quickly when refocused in working distances. Like 3 to 7m or 10m to 20m or something like that. Only noobs do the bzz bzzz all the way from 1.4m to infinity and back.

And there are many lenses with very fast screw like FA*24/2 or F28-80 or F70-210. Or if you want 300mm, try Sigma 100-300/4 which runs like champ. Or if you want fast focusing DA screw lenses, try DA12-24/4 or DA40/2.8 etc etc..

Problem is accuracy and AF algorithm speed.


// and I want the pop-up flash commander back also!

[stillshot2]

This thread is amusing. All the gnashing of teeth and wailing about Pentax being so far behind.
Over here the Nikon people are wailing about being behind Pentax (and at a higher price):

Nikon D820 Wishlist

Seems there's a lot of 1/4 full cups...

Haha! It's so true! All the Nikon guys are basically asking for a K-1 with a Nikon mount!