[drimik]

Hi.

I own Pentax K-x and I am "tired" by its auto-focus an some other things and looking for replacement.
I always wanted to have/try more advanced camera then entry lvl and I prefer to buy new one. That is why I do not consider K-70.
And I don't like to buy used things - I prefer brand new one. Price wise K-3ii or KP is max what I would like to spend.

My concerns:
- Is it worth in June 2018 to buy K-3ii which is not produced anymore? Especially that changes between K-3 and K-3ii were not so big. So in fact it is a technology from 2013.
I know that difference K-x vs K-3ii is like cosmos but still... otherwise I like k-3ii, small screen, quality of build, silent shutter - it fits to my hands
- Is KP really better then K-3ii in case of image quality? I was touching it and I am not sure what is wrong with my hands but it is not comfortable to hold on. In case of handling it is not possible to compare it with K-3ii.
But price is similar for both
- I would like to start to play with macro photography. Is flip screen and better work on higher ISO a plus for KP?
- or should I wait for K-3III ? But this mean probably 3 next years when price will be acceptable for me. I just bought Sigma 17-50 and planing Pentax F-DA 100 WR macro and probably newer body would allow them to present
better quality.

Should I buy K-3ii or try to like KP or ?

I don't change cameras so often. I am looking for something for next ~7+ years, that is why it is not easy decision for me...

[Wild Mark]

The K3ii has advantages like GPS but at the expense of no onboard flash. The GPS gives you Astrotracer options ....

Perhaps check out the comparison here

Pentax K-3 II vs. Pentax KP vs. Pentax K-70 - Pentax Camera Comparison - PentaxForums.com

enjoy your comparison

---------- Post added 15-06-18 at 08:41 PM ----------

If macro is your focus then either camera will perform very well. But serious macro work involves external flashes so not having an onboard flash in the K3ii is not a disadvantage for macro.

The shutter life on the K3ii (200,000) is twice that of the KP (100,000) ..... you said 7 years

[drimik]

Wild Mark - thank you. No build-in flash in K-3ii is not a problem for me - I was never using one in K-x. Instead I bought Metz 44 which works well for me when more light needed.

I was reading about perfect shutter work in K-3ii and this 200k shots is an advantage.

In case of KP I heard about problems with battery in low temperatures and problem with weather-sealing. Which are another + for K-3ii in my comparison

[steve_k]

I love my K-3 II. You really should consider a gently used one for around $600. Brand new will cost you $900 for a model that is discontinued. Also you could get a used K-1 for $1100 to $1300

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Last edited by steve_k; 06-15-2018 at 04:14 AM. Reason: Grammar

[grispie]

Should I buy K-3ii or try to like KP or ?

I don't change cameras so often. I am looking for something for next ~7+ years,

I consider my K3 not at all up for replacement to be honest. There will always be newer but the K3 is a great camera on its own.
Main considerations for KP, to me, seem to be iso, focus speed, tilt screen & overall handle. In your shoes, i'd try to understand 'how much better' it really is.

I'm kind of curieus myself on the feedback you'll get from kp owners..

[rod_grant]

KP not feeling right in your hands is possibly (or probably!!) because it had the smaller grip fitted.
Try and find one with the larger grip fitted and see how that feels.
I bought a KP after a K-5 and the smaller grip felt too small; I bought the large grip and I am much happier.
I love the KP; definitely an excellent buy!

[drimik]

grispie - Is there a difference in AF speed between K3ii and KP? I thought that is it the same. I used to use AF-S with central point. AF-C in K-x was ....

rod_grant - I was trying all 3 of them (In PL all 3 of them are in box). The biggest one was best of them but still I had a problem with my small finger which had no place. I had a feeling that the camera can easily fell down which caused that I was trying to keep it harder in thumb and two fingers on grip. After couple of minutes in shop my palm was tired... In case of bigger lenses it is possible to keep hand of them but with small one like my DA 35 it will not work.

Thank you all for fast responses

[Ketsuppi11]

I have a KP and image quality is great! That said even with the largest grip fitted it's not as comfortable to hold as K3 (for me) and it's missing the top display.
But KP's image quality is so much better (for me) than K3's so I would pick KP over K3 everyday.

[Kozlok]

For me the flip screen is amazing. I use it for low shots, macro, overhead, selfies. It was my main reason for choosing a KS2 over a K3. For just a little over the price of a new k3ii you could get a used K70 and a used DFA100 macro.

Anything with 2 dials and a more modern sensor will be amazing, so no bad choices.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

I own Pentax K-x and I am "tired" by its auto-focus an some other things and looking for replacement.
I always wanted to have/try more advanced camera then entry lvl and I prefer to buy new one. That is why I do not consider K-70.

The K-70 is leaps & bounds better in autofocus performance than the K-x. It's way better in every other aspect overall. It's basically a K-5IIs without the "pro" build & with a newer 24MP sensor & some newer features.

Speaking for myself, I'd still get a K-3II over the KP if I had to buy a camera right now. The KP has better image quality overall (very usable to ISO 25600), slightly better autofocus accuracy, & 5-axis IBIS, but still lacks the rest of the "pro" build & features that the K-3II has. I'd probably even choose the K-70 over the KP too.

[normhead]

My wife went from a K-x to a K-5. That might be a cheap make do option until the new APS_c flagship is released.

Unlike other, I never minded using the K-x and probably wouldn't mind using the K-P. But then, I'm an IQ first kind of guy. How we get the IQ is less important.

My step daughter in law is still happily using our old Kx by the way. I'm not sure why it is so under-appreciated.

My wild birds album is updated as I get better imagers, this image from years ago taken with the K-x is still holding it's place as the best roughed grouse image I've ever taken.

[drimik]

normhead - brilliant photo. Which lens have you used?
I have to admit that I was(am?) happy with my K-x. It was serving me well during all years. I feel that is it a little "dusty" right now - or maybe I am just close to 40 and need new gadget...
But keep using K-x and buy new lenses it is an option too...
I am only considering that maybe it is good time for upgrade to more expert camera as K3ii is in good price... for next time like that I will have to wait 3-4 years.

[normhead]

That image was taken with a DA*60-250. You will notice a difference when you upgrade AF has advanced., but you don't have to. My step daughter sent us some K-x images just yesterday.. It's still going strong. (Unfortuately the picture was of her two dogs noses full of porcupine quills and a porcupine up tree, but hey, you can't balme there camera.) We gave her a Sigma 18-250 with it that had become too decentered for landscape, it went soft on the far right edge, even at infinity and ƒ8, but using it for dog pictures etc, she's never even noticed. And she's used a few of my other lenses, but likes the convenience of the 18-250 to ever by another lens.

[reh321]

In case of KP I heard about problems with battery in low temperatures and problem with weather-sealing. Which are another + for K-3ii in my comparison

I would be careful about using anecdotal evidence - one case - to question something like weather sealing.

I've been looking at a lot of KP images lately. If I were actually purchasing a camera for myself right now, I would purchase a KP; at age 70, I expect my next camera to be my last camera.

[acoufap]

I own the KP for three weeks. Got it mainly for walkarounds, street and hiking. But it also proves to be very nice for macros. With this camera Ricoh-Pentax offers us something that can be comared with compact Fuji- and Oly solutions also offering compact cameras with compact grips.

I like the grip solution very much. Until now I use solely the preinstalled one. For me really no problem in handling. If you are interested in what I think about it, you can read it in this post. A thing of how we use different tools.

Got two spare batteries (Ansmann 7.4V/1100mAH/8.1Wh) that seem to work well. So, also no problem.

In short - IMO a great and not too heavy camera that I love. It’s going to be a hard competition for my K-1