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06-15-2017, 11:18 PM   #16
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The KS2 may also suffer from the aperture block issue according to the survey.



06-16-2017, 04:46 AM   #17
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Thanks .
I just miss the deeper throat on the grip of the K-30. I got a really good deal on my used K-S2 as well. The only other issue I have with the K-S2, that probably wouldn't bother others it the AF/AEL button location. I use back button focus. The button is in a bit of an inconvenient place. It is above the rise of the thumb rest on back. But other than those two concerns it suits my needs. If I could get the same sort of deal on a K-70 or KP I would grab it . My 2 best feelin cameras are my K2 and K-30. I have never had the opportunity to hold a K3..

QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
For my part, even if the grip on the K-70 is better, I'm not sure that there is enough difference in the feature set to make it worth upgrading. But of course that would depend on how much an upgrade would cost
That is true now. It did take quite a while to get over the feeling I was going to drop the camera because of the small grip.

---------- Post added 06-16-17 at 06:49 AM ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by slartibartfast01 Quote
The KS2 may also suffer from the aperture block issue according to the survey.
It may, but my K30 had as well and been repaired very satisfactorily so I am not concerned about it.
06-16-2017, 06:56 AM   #18
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The KP has hands down the best image quality available in any Pentax APS-C body. I'd set the auto ISO from 100 to 51200 on that body & shoot without any worries. The only downside, according to your wants, is the limited motion of the rear screen. With that being said, the K-70 will more than likely fill every want that you have. I'd set the auto ISO from 100 to 25600 on that body.

The next generation APS-C body will be a "semi-pro" or "pro" level body that will be more pricier than any current Pentax APS-C body. I'm waiting for this. ☺
06-16-2017, 07:04 AM - 2 Likes   #19
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I have the K70, just bought the K-S2 for my 16yo. daughter - she got it yesterday :-)
The grip on the K-S2 is a bit smaller, she said herself that it fits her hands better than the K70.
The arrow buttons on the K-S2 is also different, better suited for smaller fingers.
She's very happy, and so am I :-)
Btw. that's how to increase the number of Pentaxians.

06-16-2017, 07:24 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
If you mean the next flagship model (replacing the K-3ii), it will be a lot more expensive than the K-70 or the K-P. Maybe halfway between the current price of the K-P and the K-1. But then again, it should have the solidity and features of the K-3 series, all the advances in the K-P, trickle-down features from the K-1, and then some. It will be a different class of camera from the K-30/K-S2/K-70.
At the moment I do not have the amount defined. Granted, I would like to spend less if the parameters are similar enough, also as I am strictly hobby-ist, I do not want to spend too much on camera. On the other side, if I buy K-70 and next release is something I really would dream about, I would not be happy to miss it - maybe it is better to spend more, but have the thing that you like better.

QuoteOriginally posted by caliscouser Quote
K-70 and KP sensor performance are very very close by all accounts. The higher maximum ISO on the KP is a bit of a red herring as it is not practically usable.

KP will have better focusing for sure. But as you didn't mention sports or wildlife shooting then K-70 may be enough of a bump in the AF department. It is SAFOX 10 vs 9 in the K-30. Not cutting edge or a big bump admittedly, but workmanlike AF performance.

Bang for buck wise, K-70 seems like the best proposition. But if you have more budget then no doubt the KP is very attractive (as will be the K-3iii). I'd love to have a KP myself
Well, so far I did not go very well with wildlife photos because of focus (most of birds fly away before my focus works out), but basically I take photos of mostly everything, just in limited amounts. What I almost never do, is take videos. Again, budget so far is not defined - if I start putting money away now, I would maybe have enough for even K-1, I just do not want it (I have lots of non-FF lenses, no flash, the screen not fully articulating). So maybe I need to wait a bit... any ideas when the new model might come out, or at least when the rumors will appear?

Anyway, thank you for other responses, I have quite long fingers, so smaller size is not very important for me unless that it takes less space in bag. So far the most advices go to K-70, but the new possible model might sound promising - so I am putting away the money and waiting for any more news.
06-16-2017, 03:46 PM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by The Squirrel Mafia Quote
The KP has hands down the best image quality available in any Pentax APS-C body. I'd set the auto ISO from 100 to 51200 on that body & shoot without any worries. The only downside, according to your wants, is the limited motion of the rear screen. With that being said, the K-70 will more than likely fill every want that you have. I'd set the auto ISO from 100 to 25600 on that body.
That's impressive. I try to avoid ISO 6400 with either the K-S2 or the K-3. I went to 12800 once with the K-3 when it was the only way to get the shot. I got a usable image after some PP work, but that's all. Getting good results at 25600, let alone higher, would make the K-70 even better value. A lot of us would be hoping for a big lift in high ISO performance in the next flagship model.

QuoteOriginally posted by Evie Quote
At the moment I do not have the amount defined. Granted, I would like to spend less if the parameters are similar enough, also as I am strictly hobby-ist, I do not want to spend too much on camera. On the other side, if I buy K-70 and next release is something I really would dream about, I would not be happy to miss it - maybe it is better to spend more, but have the thing that you like better.
If the K-P is too much now the flagship replacement will probably be too whenever it comes out. I'd say get the K-70 and be happy.
06-16-2017, 06:03 PM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Des Quote
That's impressive. I try to avoid ISO 6400 with either the K-S2 or the K-3. I went to 12800 once with the K-3 when it was the only way to get the shot. I got a usable image after some PP work, but that's all. Getting good results at 25600, let alone higher, would make the K-70 even better value. A lot of us would be hoping for a big lift in high ISO performance in the next flagship model.
It basically depends on one's tolerance for noise. I find images from my K-50 up to ISO 12800 to be quite usable. Other people won't venture past ISO 1600 on the same camera. I actually prefer not to pass ISO 6400 as much as possible & typically shoot as low of an ISO as I can. I do have the auto ISO set from 100 to 12800 when I'm lazy & just want to get the shot. Mind you that I will post process a high ISO RAW file that I really like 'cause the jpeg engine sucks.

From testing several RAW files from the K-70, I would try not to pass ISO 12800 if I had one, but I'd be good with shots up to 25600 of I needed to go up that high. But once again, it depends on one's tolerance for noise. Converting high ISO images to B&W helps a lot.

06-17-2017, 04:20 AM   #23
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Upgrade to KP

I pondered and procrastinated this same dilemma for a long time, look at my thread history. I finally bit the bullet and bought a KP + 18-135. I could not be happier. This is the best camera I have owned since I had an ME Super. I can use all the lenses I have accumulated over the last 30+ years when I don't need quiet auto-focus, or at all. The low-light performance is stunning; better than expected. It is solidly built and intelligently designed. It has a plethora of dials, but I have customised them and the buttons leaving almost no need to access the Menu or Info. It's high tech, but feels like an old world camera designed by me. I seriously considered the K-70 and KS2 (and K-50 + 18-35 package which was almost a free camera) but wasn't impressed enough to upgrade. Now that I have to the KP I'm done (except for ordering the Medium grip that it really should come with as standard).
06-17-2017, 05:18 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by The Squirrel Mafia Quote
The KP has hands down the best image quality available in any Pentax APS-C body.
Except that the K-70 has pretty much identical image quality. If image quality is your primary concern, then the K-70 matches the KP, but at a much lower price and without the fugliness.

If my K-30 ever dies, then the K-70 seems like a no-brainer. I bought my K-30 new, and five years later (I can't believe it's been that long!) it's still a pleasure to use. Even after 80,000 actuations, it still works and looks almost like new.
06-17-2017, 06:03 AM - 1 Like   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by Edgar_in_Indy Quote
Except that the K-70 has pretty much identical image quality. If image quality is your primary concern, then the K-70 matches the KP, but at a much lower price and without the fugliness.

If my K-30 ever dies, then the K-70 seems like a no-brainer. I bought my K-30 new, and five years later (I can't believe it's been that long!) it's still a pleasure to use. Even after 80,000 actuations, it still works and looks almost like new.
Fugliness? The look of the KP is one of its strongest points. Subjective I suppose, except the KP wins hands down in IQ at all ISOs above basic.
06-17-2017, 06:28 AM   #26
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QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisJowett Quote
Fugliness? The look of the KP is one of its strongest points. Subjective I suppose, except the KP wins hands down in IQ at all ISOs above basic.
In recent years, Pentax has released several cameras with styling that is polarizing. (The K-01 and the KS-1 come to mind.) The KP seems to have continued that tradition. And while styling is certainly subjective, I've heard a lot of other people who also think the KP looks rather ugly, or at least goofy. Especially the silver/black version, which is all the more unfortunate, since that is a combo I generally favor. I think the designers' hearts were in the right place when they tried to style the KP after classic SLR's, but I don't think they really pulled it off.

For the record, I also hated the styling of the K-01 and KS-1. I own cameras from Olympus and Panasonic with retro styling, and IMO they did a much better job of it.

QuoteOriginally posted by ChrisJowett Quote
except the KP wins hands down in IQ at all ISOs above basic.
What do you base that on? I was under the impression that they both used the same sensor, both at 14-bits? I had used DPR's studio scene comparison widget prior to stating they had the same image quality, and from what I can see you really have to split hairs to find any differences.

(Although making direct comparisons with the widget is more difficult that it should be since, for some reason, the studio scene from the K-70 is exposed brighter than the KP's scene, so the image looks a bit washed out in comparison, and noise lurking in the darker areas is easier to see, and making the KP's image look more pleasing.)

Last edited by Edgar_in_Indy; 06-17-2017 at 11:41 AM.
06-17-2017, 11:18 AM - 2 Likes   #27
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One thing to ask is how often do you use scene modes. Test info states the KP sensor is a new one- not the same one as the K-70. The KP is designed for advanced and pro photographers who desire a lighter, more compactly portable body. It does not have scene modes.

I have both the K-S2 and the KP, which I bought from B&H about 3 weeks ago. Each has some aspects special to like about it. The advantage for the fully articulating screen is you can turn it completely around for selfies, even including a friend or two by using a WA lens, and the wifi button on top automatically converts to a second shutter release button, being positioned for that purpose when the camera is held pointing towards one's self. It also turns inward so the screen is not exposed during carrying. The K-70 has the same design with some upgraded features. If you shoot mostly JPEGs and rarely need above ISO 3200, the KS2 would do as well. I also recommend getting the DA 18-135mm zoom lens if you do not have one, for its amazing versatility combined with very good imaging, very quiet, fast, and accurate AF, WR and fine build quality.

The KP has metal construction, very rugged, unique changeable grips, at about the same weight as the K-70, with yet more advanced features in terms of AF, metering, a better control system, a much quieter shutter sound, and other refinements, such as being able to develop RAW images in camera and saving them as lossless TIFF images instead of just JPEGs. It also has an optional battery grip available which affords longer battery power and better balance with large lenses, as well as better control for extensive vertical shooting. Its pull-out screen can do as well for using LV for shooting from low or high positions, but does not turn around for selfies or turn inward. Its design suggests it will be more like a K-5 or K-3 in not having the aperture control problem come up as sometimes seen with the K-30, K-50, and even the K-S2. The K-70 has not been around long enough to find out if it too is susceptible.

As for looks, I chose the KP in silver/black, and had last year bought the 20-40mm Limited zoom lens in silver (exceptional image quality!), as well as having the FA* 300mm f/4.5 and some Limited prime lenses in silver, and I find my KP to present the most beautiful camera I have owned since the days of my ME-Super. In terms of performance, it is the best I have experienced in accuracy of exposure metering, fine rendering, and AF. Even my screw-drive AF lenses seem faster and quieter. It has more AF sensors than my K-5IIs or K-S2. If I find AF is locking onto areas other than where I want to focus, I just switch to central ones only or spot AF, which can be done very quickly. All in all, I am delighted with this camera.

Which ever you wind up choosing, just be sure to select "fine" sharpening in the custom image menu for best results.

Last edited by mikesbike; 06-18-2017 at 10:21 AM.
06-18-2017, 02:28 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by mikesbike Quote
One thing to ask is how often do you use scene modes. Test info states the KP sensor is a new one- not the same one as the K-70. The KP is designed for advanced and pro photographers who desire a lighter, more compactly portable body. It does not have scene modes.

I have both the K-S2 and the KP, which I bought from B&H about 3 weeks ago. Each has some aspects special to like about it. The advantage for the fully articulating screen is you can turn it completely around for selfies, even including a friend or two by using a WA lens, and the wifi button on top automatically converts to a second shutter release button, being positioned for that purpose when the camera is held pointing towards one's self. It also turns inward so the screen is not exposed during carrying. The K-70 has the same design with some upgraded features. If you shoot mostly JPEGs and rarely need above ISO 3200, the KS2 would do as well. I also recommend getting the DA 18-135mm zoom lens if you do not have one, for its amazing versatility combined with very good imaging, very quiet, fast, and accurate AF, WR and fine build quality.

The KP has metal construction, very rugged, unique changeable grips, at about the same weight as the K-70, with yet more advanced features in terms of AF, metering, a better control system, a much quieter shutter sound, and other refinements, such as being able to develop RAW images in camera and saving them as lossless TIFF images instead of just JPEGs. It also has an optional battery grip available which affords longer battery power and better balance with large lenses, as well as better control for extensive vertical shooting. Its pull-out screen can do as well for using LV for shooting from low or high positions, but does not turn around for selfies or turn inward. Its design suggests it will be more like a K-5 or K-3 in not having the aperture control problem come up as sometimes seen with the K-30, K-50, and even the K-S2. The K-70 has not been around long enough to find out if it too is susceptible.

As for looks, I chose the KP in silver/black, and had last year bought the 20-40mm Limited zoom lens in silver (exceptional image quality!), as well as having the FA* 300mm f/4.5 and some Limited prime lenses in silver, and I find my KP to present the most beautiful camera I have owned since the days of my ME-Super. In terms of performance, it is the best I have experienced in accuracy of exposure metering, fine rendering, and AF. Even my screw-drive AF lenses seem faster and quieter. It has more AF sensors than my K-5IIs or K-S2. If I find AF is locking onto areas other than where I want to focus, I just switch to central ones only or spot AF, which can be done very quickly. All in all, I am delighted with this camera.

Which ever you wind up choosing, just be sure to select "fine" sharpening in the custom image menu for best results.
mikesbike: as I wrote in first post, I am taking some astrophotography shots - and they definitely do not go well with jpeg's (only RAW). I also turn off all postprocessing in camera for Astrophotos, so fine sharpening is not used at all.
I could not care less about selfies part. I already have 18-135 WR and I am glad with it, at least for travels.
Looks... again, I do not care about that. I am fully happy with a simple black camera and have no wish to get a coloured model (colours scratches quite fast in my experience).

So far I believe I am waiting for next model, and if it will be not what I want, probably will go to either K-70 or KP (still not sure which one, KP really impress with better ISO and noise fixes...)

Thank you all a lot for advises, experiences and recommendations.
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