[onefunmudder]

I am presently using a K30, my first DSLR. I have several K mount lenses and would prefer to stay with this mount to save cost. However, I would like to upgrade. I have been reviewing the K70 , K3ii and the KP. I prefer shooting still life, and landscape and like HDR as a general rule. I've enjoyed my K30 but I am ready to advance. Of course I would love to have a K1 but that presently is out of my reach.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

onefunmudder

[Unregistered User 8]

Hi OFM, just my 2 cents, but the K-3 and the K-3II are outstanding cameras and both quite cheap now considering what you get for your money.
Good luck.

[Adam]

I'd recommend the K-70, as it's an amazing value and pretty much tied for image quality with the KP. Then, use the extra cash (compared to the other models) for some nice lenses

[reh321]

I am presently using a K30, my first DSLR. I have several K mount lenses and would prefer to stay with this mount to save cost. However, I would like to upgrade. I have been reviewing the K70 , K3ii and the KP. I prefer shooting still life, and landscape and like HDR as a general rule. I've enjoyed my K30 but I am ready to advance. Of course I would love to have a K1 but that presently is out of my reach.
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks

onefunmudder

When I replace my K-30, most likely a year or so from now, I fully expect its replacement to be a KP; that appears to be the best low light Pentax in my price range {and I think the silver is neat!}

Added: The aperture control is still working on my K-30, but every time I take a picture, I wonder if this is the time it will fail. Even if they've modified it for the K-70, I'm not sure I could ever trust it, which my reason for favoring the KP over the K-70

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Last edited by reh321; 12-15-2017 at 07:34 PM.

[aslyfox]

don't know your budget but B & H currently has a deal on the Pentax K 3 II and its designated battery grip

Pentax K-3 II | B&H Photo Video

cost of the battery grip is $7 over the cost of the K 3 II alone.

if you bought them separately, the battery grip alone is being sold by B & H for $229.95


If you decide to grab one, be sure you order through the forum as noted in Adam's signature block and get the benefits:

FREE Marketplace Access if you shop at B&H, Adorama, or Topaz Labs - PentaxForums.com

[hcc]

I'd recommend the K-70, as it's an amazing value and pretty much tied for image quality with the KP. Then, use the extra cash (compared to the other models) for some nice lenses

+1 with Adam. Good lenses are worth every penny and they do not loose value over time (like a camera body). I do not know your current lens line-up, but Pentax has outstanding prime lenses, like the FA Limited series (the three amigos), the DA Limited series (pancake lenses), and the D-FA/FA*/DA* primes. The IQ of these Pentax primes is outstanding, and often the envy from other Canikon shooters.
Do yourself a favor and go for better lenses. The K-70 with one (or two) good prime lense(s) would be a major step upwards.
My 5 cents....

[Imp]

I had a K-30 for four years, and sprung for a used K-3 body. No complaints here! If you go used, you can get a K-3 for the price of a new K-70. For me, the hardware specifications were worth it, but you might prefer the sensor advantages of the K-70.

[D1N0]

The K-70 is a successor to the K-30 so you would probably feel right at home with it. The advantage of The K-3 II and the KP is the more modern and capable AF system. Mainly important when you want to shoot moving subjects. Personally I like working with a top-lcd (I find the one on the K-1 too small and limited but the one on the K-3 (II) is great.) Advantage of the K-70 and KP over the K-3 II is improved IQ in high iso situations.

My advice:
Budget. Get the K-70. It will be familiar but has better IQ and more advanced functions like pixel shift resolution selectable anti moire, wifi.
A little more to spend? Get the KP. It has all the advantages of the K-70 plus better AF and a more classy body. Ergonomics might be an issue though with it's interchangeable grips and the K-1 style function dial you will have to teach yourself to learn lest it will sit idle on your camera.
Want a more enthusiast Camera? Get the K-3 II. (which lacks Wifi by the way (can be added with a Flucard), but has GPS and astro tracer a top lcd. Double card slots, headphone jack for monitoring sound in video. Much longer battery life, a flash sync port and the ability to use a grip (KP can do that too). A down side is it has no articulating or flipping back lcd like the K-70 or KP and the fact it lacks a pop up flash.

Ideally I would want a camera with the sensor IQ of the K-70 KP all possibilties of the K-3 II in a similar body but with a moveable back lcd. (well I have that. It's called a K-1 albeit it achieves IQ through a larger sensor and doesn't have a built in noise reduction chip).

[aslyfox]

The K-70 is a successor to the K-30 so you would probably feel right at home with it. The advantage of The K-3 II and the KP is the more modern and capable AF system. Mainly important when you want to shoot moving subjects. Personally I like working with a top-lcd (I find the one on the K-1 too small and limited but the one on the K-3 (II) is great.) Advantage of the K-70 and KP over the K-3 II is improved IQ in high iso situations.

My advice:
Budget. Get the K-70. It will be familiar but has better IQ and more advanced functions like pixel shift resolution selectable anti moire, wifi.
A little more to spend? Get the KP. It has all the advantages of the K-70 plus better AF and a more classy body. Ergonomics might be an issue though with it's interchangeable grips and the K-1 style function dial you will have to teach yourself to learn lest it will sit idle on your camera.
Want a more enthusiast Camera? Get the K-3 II. (which lacks Wifi by the way (can be added with a Flucard), but has GPS and astro tracer a top lcd. Double card slots, headphone jack for monitoring sound in video. Much longer battery life, a flash sync port and the ability to use a grip (KP can do that too). A down side is it has no articulating or flipping back lcd like the K-70 or KP and the fact it lacks a pop up flash.

Ideally I would want a camera with the sensor IQ of the K-70 KP all possibilties of the K-3 II in a similar body but with a moveable back lcd. (well I have that. It's called a K-1 albeit it achieves IQ through a larger sensor and doesn't have a built in noise reduction chip).

be sure to check out the differences between the K 3 and the K 3 II

you might want to chose the K 3 because of its flash, how often would you use the K 3 II's GPS?

there could be a price difference between the two as well

don't forget to check the forum's market place, if interested in " experienced " equipment. No guaranty, of course, but I have been treated well by those fellow members that I have bought " experienced " equipment from via the " buy/sell " section.

[ as I have stated before, I just purchased the K 3 II to go along with my K 3 because of the current battery grip deal at B & H ]

[steve_k]

IMHO if your K-30 is still working I would recommend waiting. Everyone is expecting the K-3 II replacement to be announced soon. The thing I hate about Pentax is that they don’t give any hints of what’s coming. All we can do is hope that the replacement will incorporate all the features we have been asking for. But until they announce it we will not know.

If you have to upgrade now I would recommend the K-70. The KP is slightly better with low light and the third control dial seems like a nice feature plus it also has a optional battery grip. But I have seen a lot of people complaining about the changeable grips and the way they feel. Also I personally would prefer to have a fully articulating screen to a tilting one. All in all I think the K-70 for $300 less ($590 from B&H and Adorama) is the better deal.

Regarding the K-3 and K-3 II. I own the K-3 II. I purchased it for it’s build quality, top lcd, dual memory cards, battery grip, gps and Astro Tracer to name a few. But as I stated at the beginning of this post I would wait if this is what you think you are going to do. If the new body comes out in the next few months the price of the K-3 and K-3II should drop once the new body is released. Also the new body may have features that are must haves for you.

[aslyfox]

IMHO if your K-30 is still working I would recommend waiting. Everyone is expecting the K-3 II replacement to be announced soon. The thing I hate about Pentax is that they don’t give any hints of what’s coming. All we can do is hope that the replacement will incorporate all the features we have been asking for. But until they announce it we will not know.

If you have to upgrade now I would recommend the K-70. The KP is slightly better with low light and the third control dial seems like a nice feature plus it also has a optional battery grip. But I have seen a lot of people complaining about the changeable grips and the way they feel. Also I personally would prefer to have a fully articulating screen to a tilting one. All in all I think the K-70 for $300 less ($590 from B&H and Adorama) is the better deal.

Regarding the K-3 and K-3 II. I own the K-3 II. I purchased it for it’s build quality, top lcd, dual memory cards, battery grip, gps and Astro Tracer to name a few. But as I stated at the beginning of this post I would wait if this is what you think you are going to do. If the new body comes out in the next few months the price of the K-3 and K-3II should drop once the new body is released. Also the new body may have features that are must haves for you.

We have been waiting for the K 3 II update for a while now

[onefunmudder]

Thanks everyone for your input, lots of good thoughts here. I hope to put it to good use soon.

onefunmudder

[reh321]

IMHO if your K-30 is still working I would recommend waiting. Everyone is expecting the K-3 II replacement to be announced soon. The thing I hate about Pentax is that they don’t give any hints of what’s coming. All we can do is hope that the replacement will incorporate all the features we have been asking for. But until they announce it we will not know.

If you have to upgrade now I would recommend the K-70. The KP is slightly better with low light and the third control dial seems like a nice feature plus it also has a optional battery grip. But I have seen a lot of people complaining about the changeable grips and the way they feel. Also I personally would prefer to have a fully articulating screen to a tilting one. All in all I think the K-70 for $300 less ($590 from B&H and Adorama) is the better deal.

Regarding the K-3 and K-3 II. I own the K-3 II. I purchased it for it’s build quality, top lcd, dual memory cards, battery grip, gps and Astro Tracer to name a few. But as I stated at the beginning of this post I would wait if this is what you think you are going to do. If the new body comes out in the next few months the price of the K-3 and K-3II should drop once the new body is released. Also the new body may have features that are must haves for you.

I basically agree with this. I believe a "surprise" is coming in mid-winter around CES / CP+ time. Of course it wouldn't be a surprise if we knew what it was.


As far as complaints about handling the KP are concerned, they show how much we can forget in thirty years. Thirty years ago, all cameras had a grip like the "small" grip on the KP. We were taught to hold the camera in the right hand with thumb under the body and forefinger on the shutter button; left hand cradled the lens. Now people grab the grip and expect it to provide all of the support. KP is a retro design in many ways, which is one of the reasons I like it. The over-large grip on my K-30 basically forces me to grab it, which makes the IBIS more necessary - if I want to hold my camera more stably, sometimes I use my Q-7, because I can hold it the "old fashioned" way

[Alex645]

I am presently using a K30, my first DSLR. I have several K mount lenses and would prefer to stay with this mount to save cost. However, I would like to upgrade. I prefer shooting still life, and landscape and like HDR as a general rule. I've enjoyed my K30 but I am ready to advance. Of course I would love to have a K1 but that presently is out of my reach.

I agree with the previous posts (mostly K-70 for budget and K-P if still in budget), but here's an alternative thought:

a) You didn't mention what lenses you currently own. Upgrading your lenses will have a bigger impact on your still life and landscapes than going from a 16MP to a 24MP sensor. The higher res sensors will also begin to show the flaws or limitations of all but your best glass.

b) What is it about the K-30 that makes you feel the need to advance? AF speed? High ISO performance? Want of pixel shift or no AA filter? If these are major issues, then yes upgrading makes sense.

c) Preference for shooting still life, landscape, and HDR=K-1. Yes, it's double the price of the APS-C models, but if that's the promised land, buying a new compromise is just delaying getting to the destination. Going from APS-C to FF (or FF to 645) is a spiritual experience.

d) I trust you have and use a tripod? And is it a great tripod or an okay one? I can't tell you how many times I've seen photographers with great lenses on worthy cameras mounted onto undersized, flimsy inexpensive (sub $200) tripods with weak little heads. Unlike digital cameras, a good tripod is a lifetime investment and can make all the difference in the field and to a lesser degree in the studio. Again, I don't know if you already have a medium to large duty carbon fiber tripod, but if you don't, getting one that is a bit bigger and weight-rated more than what you expect to use, is worth it.....even with IBIS and Astro tracer options.

[mikesbike]

I'm going a little bit across-grain here from some other recommendations, but based on my experience- (I've had and enjoyed so many Pentax models over the years) I'd recommend your next step up should be a major one in as many ways as possible. Especially since you'd love to have a K-1. The KP is designed to be an APS-C equivalent to the K-1 as closely as possible, in image quality, build quality, and control features, yet compact as a 2nd body for those having a K-1, who would not be disappointed when switching between the two. The KP has been my choice and I have fallen in love with it over the past 6 months. I bought the silver version, for its classic beauty, and a DA 20-40mm f/2.8-4 DC WR Limited lens, also in silver. This lens delivers image quality similar to Limited prime lenses, but also having a quiet DC AF and WR. I know because I have long had the DA 21mm and DA 40mm Limited, and now mostly use the DA 20-40mm instead. Responding to another recent thread, I discovered B&H has a holiday sale of $200 each off both the KP and this lens, which is very fine for landscape use among other uses. Its fit and balance on the KP is excellent.

I have a K-S2, which I still enjoy as a secondary extra-light backup body, and similar in style to both your K-30 and even more closely, the K-70. The only advantages for the K-70 would be a more articulating swing out back LCD screen, and a slightly deeper buffer, which would not be relevant to your shooting needs. But the KP does have a screen similar to that of the K-1, and does not stick out to the side when pulling it out to get low or high shots. Each screen type has its own advantages. I also have my older K-5 IIs, which is of similar design to the K-3. I still use it for its advantages when needed, but the KP has become my most used body.

Over the K-70 you would advance to a more pro-style quality of build with primarily metal construction, more advanced, faster-operating controls with better features, and a greater range of in-camera features. Since you like HDR, I think you'd really like the version in the KP, which has more adjustments than I have previously experienced, and readily available via its new control set. There are the 3 grips for customized handling, and an available battery grip for lengthy vertical shooting, further customized handling for larger lenses, and provides long battery life between charges. These are all features of a more advanced, professional-style design. I agree with reh321 about handling. But the different available grips are nice to have.

You might want to also retain your K-30 as a second back-up body.