[runswithsizzers]

---------- Post added 12-11-2016 at 08:46 PM ----------



I had assumed that that problem would have been solved before the K70 was launched, perhaps it will haunt Pentax like the SDM problems.

CD

I, too, would hope the aperture block problem has long since been fixed, but after much reading, I can't say if anybody knows for sure the cause of the problem, much less the cure.

If Pentax knows, they are not saying, right?

I am not comfortable with the assumption that the problem is history, and won't be until Pentax says "We fixed that."

[Des]

The K-3 is the camera I want to shoot while traveling, but not the one I want to carry.

That's one reason why I got a K-S2 as a second camera, rather than another K-3. But the trade-offs include a far less ergonomic grip and smaller less powerful battery.

I am not comfortable with the assumption that the problem is history, and won't be until Pentax says "We fixed that."

Don't hold your breath waiting for Ricoh Pentax to admit the fault and say they fixed it. If you take this view, it's flagship models only (with the weight and bulk that entails). Until someone raises mirror slap on the K-3 or some other issue.

[PenPusher]

The other point that keeps nagging at the back of my mind is the question of legacy lenses, mainly Takumar's, M series and a few East German/USSR lenses which I like and use from time to time, will the newer sensors start showing up defects in their resolving power to the extent that you will more or less have to upgrade to newer glass.

[onlineflyer]

I've had this thing for forever and it is still ticking without any problems. My wife is showing quite a bit of interest in taking photos of her own so my trusty camera will now be hers. I'm ignorant when it comes to APSC vs. FF and since I haven't felt like the K5 was lacking, I thought I'd narrow down my research between the K5 IIs, the K3 and the K3 II. I shoot whatever looks interesting from landscapes to people. Not a pro, all for fun.

I've got some reading to do but all thoughts and suggestions are welcome.

Sounds like you're similar to me, just enjoy capturing beauty and life. I've gone from the K-30 to K-5iis and recently added a K-3. I purchased the K-30 new and the other two used, both with really low shutter count. To me, reliability and features were important but price was the over-riding consideration. I know the K-1 was beyond my means and that it would not make me a better photographer, so I settled for the K-5iis and then added the K-3, both for about 35% of the price of the K-1. Why two cameras? Because no one camera can do all things well and it's nice to have a backup. Whatever option you choose, it will always be a compromise.

If money is really tight, I would suggest the K-5iis. It is a highly capable camera that you will be quite familiar with, having owned the K-5. For about $100 more than the price of the K5iis, you can get a really nice K-3. Add another $200 and you can get a K-3ii. There are plenty of options for you, including multiple cameras. If money is not an issue, the K-1 would be a great choice but if you are a frugal individual, a K-5iis or K-3 would be a great choice.

[normhead]

Compared to SDM, it's small issue.

[arnold]

I used the K-3 for landscape all the time. Not every landscape runs the histogram off both ends of the chart. The most taxing thing for landscape is sunsets for shadow detail. For many landscapes a 12 EV Canon is fine and there have been many great landscapes taken with them. A K-3 is much better than many of them.
K-1 sunset...


K-3 sunset


I'm sure that extra 1.5 EV makes a lot of difference, but I'm not seeing it. Pixel peeping or not. It might get you a better image every now and then, but it's not all that likely to make much difference on a given image. You are post processing to reduce at least a 12 EV to a max of 7 EV, no matter what you start with.

This image only used maybe 10 EV even though it had 15 available.


I'm not saying EV isn't important, just, it's not everything... unless it is.

Unless you plan to use a camera only for landscape (the way I did with my K-1, my K-3 can handle the action duties) speed of AF etc. has to be considered.

I bought a K-3, but I kept my K-5 until I got the K-1. It's nice to have two cameras with different strengths and weaknesses, you've got more bases covered.

I wouldn't consider anything but the K-1 as a total landscape camera, but the OP also wants to shoot people and whatever. The K-1 can be really irritating for that, like you're missing stuff because your buffer is full or because your burst is slow, and you're waiting for the camera to come back from wherever it goes. After a K-3 a K-5 feels just as bad.

MY feeling is the K-3 is the best do it all camera. The K-1 is the best landscape camera. The K-5s are still great cameras, but time has passed them by. I can see your average joe being happy with a K-5II for years to come. The things that were top of the charts when it was released are still better than 90% of the cameras out there.

That last one is a beauty.

[drewski]

Is the built in GPS mostly for geolocation and astrotracing? I have the OGPS-1 that has worked well with my K5 for astrotracing. I have yet to get into geolocation.

It would mostly be for geolocation. I am quite OCD with knowing where I took my pictures :-) I was going to get OGPS-1 for the K5, but I'd read that it takes some time to start up? The biggest thing I had against it was the fact that it's another thing sticking out of the camera, which is why I never ended up getting it.

Once I get the K-3 II, I might dabble with astrotracing but it hasn't crossed my mind to try it yet. The results I've seen from the other folks look very nice though, I must say.

[pakinjapan]

I've decided that the K1 price range is more than I want to spend at this time and that a pop up is preferred so now I'm now down to a K3 or a K5 IIs. The reading goes on.

I just order a second hand K3 last night.
I had been waiting for new year deal since I brake my K-5 sometime ago. finally last night was the end of the waiting.

It seem like you already narrowed down your choices to K5IIs and K3. I had the same dilemma before.
K5IIs secondhand market’s price is very attractive + it offers a bit better dynamic range in theory but from what I (we) read, it doesn’t seems to make much difference in the real world shooting.
K-3 offers a very good low light auto-focus which I am a kind of sick of my K-5 performance in that regard. And when talk about upgrade a body, IMO, K5II is a bit too close to K5. So I went with a K3.

I was thinking to get a K1 before it was released but I don’t really like what Pentax is doing right now for Japan market + many more reasons, I would rather go for a second hand K3 and see Pentax’s direction in the years to come. By the time my next body upgrade, I hope Pentax will offer me more reasons to stick with them then.

CP+2017 will be around end of February, if you want to wait and see if they will have a new body to replace K3II. I don’t think it will be a new body announcing but if they do, K3’s price will sure be dropped a lot more.

[Sage97]

I just order a second hand K3 last night.
I had been waiting for new year deal since I brake my K-5 sometime ago. finally last night was the end of the waiting.

It seem like you already narrowed down your choices to K5IIs and K3. I had the same dilemma before. K5IIs secondhand market’s price is very attractive + it offers a bit better dynamic range in theory but from what I (we) read, it doesn’t seems to make much difference in the real world shooting.

Exactly what I've been wondering about. It's easy to get lost in the specs but what matters to me is how these numbers impact IQ and user friendliness for my purposes. I am leaning more and more towards the K3 so that we would end up with two different cameras instead of two very similar cameras.

[reh321]

Exactly what I've been wondering about. It's easy to get lost in the specs but what matters to me is how these numbers impact IQ and user friendliness for my purposes. I am leaning more and more towards the K3 so that we would end up with two different cameras instead of two very similar cameras.

How much do those two cameras actually differ from each other from a controls, etc pov?

The K-3 has the advantage right now of being able to use KAF4 lenses, which may not mean that much right now, but could be quite important before buying the next camera.

[normhead]

The main advantages of the K-3
Burst, buffer and AF.
More crop room because of higher resolution, lets you crop more of the frame for artistic reason, before the image starts to degrade.
More detail if you use the whole frame.
KAF4 is supported.

Advantages to the K-5
Cleaner images at higher ISO. For my preference, 1000 ISO K-3 compare to 1600 ISO K-5. Tha't just over a half stop, but it's more than that. The K-3 will sometime be noisey in some circumstances even at 400 ISO. With a K-5 I feel pretty safe at 800 ISO, I still have lots of great images at 1600 - 3200 ISO taken with a K-3, but the K-5 is more reliable in low light.
16 MB is fine for 20x30 inch prints, which is the largest I do. Personally I don't need more than a K-5 for any practical reason in terms of output.

The K-3 makes it much easier to capture the image.

[GlennG]

I can see your average joe being happy with a K-5II for years to come.

Your wisdom is astounding, Norm. I'm a below average joe and I expect my current K5 ecstacy to continue for some years yet. So your suspicion is confirmed in at least one case.

---------- Post added Dec 12th, 2016 at 09:36 AM ----------

I am leaning more and more towards the K3 so that we would end up with two different cameras instead of two very similar cameras.

I think that is the one I'd go with if I were you.

[Sage97]

Thanks everyone. Now shopping for a K3.

[TER-OR]

I upgraded from the K5 to K3II. I wanted to lose the AA filter and have the internal GPS so I could mount a ring flash easily. I do field macro photography and the GPS is vital. The OGPS worked fine on the K5 - maybe better than the internal on the K3, but there may be a bit of user error there. I also bought the little FG 201 flash which is small but flexible. It doesn't charge very quickly, making it a bit inconvenient for quick work.

I think the K3II is an improvement on the K5. My battered old K5 is still ticking along, though I don't use it that frequently. It was built like a tank, though.

[gabriel_bc]

I'm still happily in K5 land as well - went from the K10D to the K5 when it was new, and probably will get a K1 used in a year or two once the prices come down a bit. Still love the output of the K5 sensor. The only thing pushing me to get a K1 is to finally unshackle my FA20-35 and other legacy glass...