[SunnyG.]

I will give you two reasons the first that I have stated already but you have ignored. #1) It has a magnesium alloy body which has historically been reserved for the flagship aps-c bodies. #2) the price point.

In the past including wiht the K-3 II, they never had a full frame in the line up. It would depend on which 35mm dSLR is considered the flagship I suppose at this point.

Have you seen it's specs??? It's slower, less powerful and lacks flagship features. How would you explain that?

[Blue]

Have you seen it's specs??? It's slower, less powerful and lacks flagship features. How would you explain that?

The magnesium alloy body has always been a flagship feature. Have you looked at all the previous "flagship" bodies? Plus, the K-3 ii is 2 years old and relies on a non-existent Flu Card for wifi. Furthermore, look at the post I made previous to this one (#29) regarding specs and answer your own question from that. There is no need for the tone in this thread. I have just expressed my observations.

Why do you think another aps-c body is coming out at a higher price point than the KP?

[Blue]

MY observation on the KP is it's a replacement body for a K-5, not a K-3. The 8 FPS of the K-3, larger buffers etc. make it a better action camera. But if you aren't buying a K-1, a KP could be your low light camera. The stuff I've done documenting cottages for a friend who's cottage shopping, 3200 ISO with no flash, has been amazing using the K-1.

If I was staying all APS-c it would have been a no brainer. But, I'd still have my K-3.

Yeah it seems that way, but the K3 came out late 2013 after the K-5 ii. It seems that the K-1 is currently treated as the flagship and the KP the top aps-c.

[robtcorl]

I'd go with the KP, in silver, if you're worried about theft since thieves will think you're using an old film SLR.

[Blue]

I'd definitely go with silver if I got a KP to match my K.

[abruzzi]

Have you seen it's specs??? It's slower, less powerful and lacks flagship features. How would you explain that?

One possibility is that with the release of the K-1, Pentax wanted a little more distance between flagship full frame and flagship APS-C, so while upgrading the sensor and some other stuff, they dropped some other things to ensure that "high end" users would make the jump. In that scenario, the K-1 is the upgrade from the K-3II.

I don't necessarily think that is the case, but I've seen other companies pull the same sort of thing specifically to protect other products, so I wouldn't say its impossible.

[robtcorl]

I've never understood folks trying to categorize Pentax camera models.
What purpose does it serve?
Look at the specs, reviews, try one in hand (if you can) etc. and decide if it fits your needs/wants, buy it or don't.
It's really easy like a Sunday morning.

[abruzzi]

I've never understood folks trying to categorize Pentax camera models.
What purpose does it serve?
Look at the specs, reviews, try one in hand (if you can) etc. and decide if it fits your needs/wants, buy it or don't.
It's really easy like a Sunday morning.

I already made the decision to buy a K-3II, so for me the question was: the K-P is missing something that I absolutely require but the K-3II is "old tech" (at least in terms of ISO performance), if the KP was the new "flagship", then a new APS-C camera with the ISO sensitivity of the KP and the GPS of the K-3II was never going to happen. In the end I decided it wasn't worth waiting on a "maybe", and I bought a K-3II because I won't buy a camera that doesn't have internal geotagging.

So ultimately its about expectation of the future. A lot of people worry about dropping $1000 on something that will be superseded in a month something better (buyers remorse). So these are contortions to try to predict the future.

[robtcorl]

So ultimately its about expectation of the future. A lot of people worry about dropping $1000 on something that will be superseded in a month something better

I understand what you're saying, but there's always something "better" coming out next month, later this year, or next year.
I'm pretty sure there are Pentax users still using the *ist D and turning out better photos than many of us, better than me that's for sure.

[Blue]

I understand what you're saying, but there's always something "better" coming out next month, later this year, or next year.
I'm pretty sure there are Pentax users still using the *ist D and turning out better photos than many of us, better than me that's for sure.

It generally has to do with the features the "flag ship" has compared to its contemporary lineup. In the case of Pentax, the magnesium alloy body is one thing. There used to be greater separation. All models are now sealed, but that wasn't always the case. There was also a time when the flagship had a real prism and the siblings had mirrors but that isn't the case anymore either. The flagship usually has an optional grip. That generally still holds true. If you go back the past 12 years, you will see these things are consistent. The lesser models have acquired the real prism and seals but not the magnesium body or grip. Front and rear dials was also a feature that eventually spread from flagship models to lesser models.

[Sandy Hancock]

I have had a K-3 for years, and recently bought a KP, which accompanied me on a trip to Italy recently.

After nearly three weeks of frequent, daily use, I am almost convinced to part with my beloved K-3. The image quality of the KP, the latitude of its raw files, the size and form of the body, the tilting screen and many other features have won me over. And the burst speed isn't too bad ether.

[abruzzi]

I understand what you're saying, but there's always something "better" coming out next month, later this year, or next year.
I'm pretty sure there are Pentax users still using the *ist D and turning out better photos than many of us, better than me that's for sure.

True and I'm fairly resistant to the "latest greatest" hype (the camera I upgraded from was from 2008), but it's also a proximity thing. If I buy something like a camera six months after it is released, I don't bat an eye. But the further I get down the lifecycle of the device, the closer I get to thinking "if a wait a month something new and better will be out" especially if the manufacturer has a predictable upgrade cycle. I bought my K-3II knowing that based on lifecycle and price drops, I was probably close to the end of life on the device, and there was a good chance that a few months later there would be a new greater camera that had all that the K-3II had plus the better ISO from the KP that I would have loved to get. In my case, there were number of good reasons to not wait, but if you buy the latest iPhone in the beginning of September, you need to be prepared to be disappointed in a few weeks when the new whiz-bang model comes out.

[SunnyG.]

One possibility is that with the release of the K-1, Pentax wanted a little more distance between flagship full frame and flagship APS-C, so while upgrading the sensor and some other stuff, they dropped some other things to ensure that "high end" users would make the jump. In that scenario, the K-1 is the upgrade from the K-3II.

I don't necessarily think that is the case, but I've seen other companies pull the same sort of thing specifically to protect other products, so I wouldn't say its impossible.

Well let's hope the rumors are true and Pentax releases a new APS-C by the end of this year. I don't think it's gonna be a low end model.

[totsmuyco]

Looking at those film cameras, it would be nice if it would look like the Super ME super. It would be great if it would have the same size too. I'm dreaming so much about a much lighter and more rugged camera. The truth is my arthritis is killing me!

[talgarik]

It generally has to do with the features the "flag ship" has compared to its contemporary lineup. In the case of Pentax, the magnesium alloy body is one thing.

I guess there is a generalized standard idea of what a flagship should be.
The way I see it build quality is the main feature, I have owned the K3 and now I own a KP and while the KP build quality - as usual - is better than what CSN offer at that price point, it cannot stand the test with the K3, just one example: the opening of the memory card slot, unbreakable on the K3, to be treated carefully on the KP. Of course build quality implies weight, the KP is meant to be light, so it was necessary to make some concessions in terms of build quality.
It is not a flagship, but I had never loved a new camera so much