Options for a backup body to my K3

**WPRESTO** · 08-11-2018, 06:00 AM

I have not gone through all the posts above, but I suspect that almost every Pentax DSLR that has been made will be recommended by someone. As a backup, to save money, I would personally recommend a good used K5. I think there are a good many available on the used market, and it uses the same battery as the K3 (be sure whatever body you select does - I'm not familiar with what batteries the K30, K70 etc.use). The KS2 recommended in the previous post looks like a very attractive alternative. An articulating screen is really useful.

**aslyfox** · 08-11-2018, 06:15 AM

Originally posted by WPRESTO

. . . it uses the same battery as the K3 (be sure whatever body you select does - . . . .

having a common battery to use among your cameras may seem to be a small thing to think about

until you find yourself " in the field " with the wrong back up battery

that is one reason I like a battery grip which also has a AA battery tray since those are regularly available as a last resort

my AA tray is permanently stored in the camera bag

**WPRESTO** · 08-11-2018, 06:23 AM

Originally posted by aslyfox

having a common battery to use among your cameras may seem to be a small thing to think about

until you find yourself " in the field " with the wrong back up battery

Minor, yes, but I had three batteries for my K20 (= two backups) that all were useless when I bought a K5, for which I purchased two backup batteries, and those also serve the K3 and K1. If you get a camera that uses the same battery as one you have, you automatically get a backup. It's a small thing, but I was annoyed when the K2o batteries could not be used in a K5. I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery.

**aslyfox** · 08-11-2018, 06:31 AM

Originally posted by WPRESTO

Minor, yes, but I had three batteries for my K20 (= two backups) that all were useless when I bought a K5, for which I purchased two backup batteries, and those also serve the K3 and K1. If you get a camera that uses the same battery as one you have, you automatically get a backup. It's a small thing, but I was annoyed when the K2o batteries could not be used in a K5. I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery.

I agree

not much you can do with a battery that fits the old camera that you got rid of or doesn't work

except grab it by mistake when you are in a hurry

**WPRESTO** · 08-11-2018, 06:36 AM

Originally posted by aslyfox

I agree

not much you can do with a battery that fits the old camera that you got rid of or doesn't work

except grab it by mistake when you are in a hurry

I used the K20 in my "studio" for quite a few years, then it was pushed out by the K5 when the K3 pushed the K5 out of being the main camera. The K20 and its batteries have gone to another Pentaxian whose K20 turned base-plate up. I think he likes that particular model.

dubyam · 08-11-2018, 08:02 AM

Batteries have never been an issue for me, as I'm pretty obsessive about double checking that what I have matches, before I leave the house. Couple that with carrying a lot of extra gear, all the time, and you see why I've never had an issue. It probably stems from arriving at hunting camp many years ago with the wrong box of ammo for the rifle I was carrying. One lesson (a tough one, with a long drive home and back and a missed hunt the first day) is all it took to have me start verifying the little details pretty obsessively. I haven't had any issues mixing up the DLi109 (K-3) and DLi90 (K-30) batteries up to this point, at least. But it is a good point, and appreciated.

northcoastgreg · 08-11-2018, 09:25 AM

Originally posted by dubyam

The K-5 is an interesting option, but it is a dated design, and while the controls appear to be fairly similar to the K-3's, which would help with keeping things intuitive, would I lose enough going backward to warrant spending the extra to get a newer body?

The design isn't much different from the K-3 series of cameras, and complaints about "old" technology are misplaced. The fact is, DSLRs became mature products around the time the K-5 was released, and there hasn't really been significant advances in technology since.

If you want a less "old" camera, there's always the K-5iis.

h4yn0nnym0u5e · 08-11-2018, 09:28 AM

Originally posted by WPRESTO

I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery.

Looking at the comparison chart, the KP and K70 both use the D-Li109. I'd want the KP myself, for the DOF bracketing feature. Please Ricoh, could you implement that on the K-1!

**aslyfox** · 08-11-2018, 09:30 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by dubyam

Batteries have never been an issue for me, as I'm pretty obsessive about double checking that what I have matches, before I leave the house. Couple that with carrying a lot of extra gear, all the time, and you see why I've never had an issue. It probably stems from arriving at hunting camp many years ago with the wrong box of ammo for the rifle I was carrying. One lesson (a tough one, with a long drive home and back and a missed hunt the first day) is all it took to have me start verifying the little details pretty obsessively. I haven't had any issues mixing up the DLi109 (K-3) and DLi90 (K-30) batteries up to this point, at least. But it is a good point, and appreciated.

Murphey's Law

anything that can go wrong will go wrong

Finnegan's corollary to Murphy's Law

Murphy was an optimist

**bwgv001** · 08-11-2018, 09:58 AM

another K-3; you are already familiar with it

**microlight** · 08-11-2018, 10:03 AM

Murphy’s second law: the more complicated it is, the quicker it will go wrong.

**WPRESTO** · 08-11-2018, 10:26 AM

Specific application of Murphy's Law that has rung true in my ear ever since I first heard it The smallest, most important, and only irreplaceable part will roll to the most inaccessible spot on the workshop floor, especially if there's a drain.

There are of course many other applications and restatement:
If you put it off until tomorrow, it will be too late.
If you must remove several screws, you will strip the head of the last one.
The person you don't want to talk to will sit next to you at every gathering.
Once you've though of everything, there's something else.
If you sharpen a pencil before you start to write, the point will break immediately.
Whatever the doctor tells you don't need to worry about, you do.
The cost for having a job done always exceeds the estimate.
Whatever your insurance covers won't happen.
Whatever happens is not covered by your insurance.

etc. etc. etc.

BirdDude007 · 08-11-2018, 01:51 PM

I have the K3 and just recently acquired it, really liking the camera. I already have a K5 and to me it is a phenomenal performer even after all that I have put it through, I kept it as a back up body to my K3, however I find myself using it just as much. The layout is simaler to the K3, so switching back and forth between bodies is a no brainier. The IQ of the K5 is just as good (if not better in some situations) as the K3, however the K3 has higher resolution. I found you can find K3 bodies in excellent condition for around $400/grip for $100. And you can find K5s in good condition for around $200/grips for$60.
The choice obviously is yours, but I highly recommend either camera. As for AF? Well the AF on the K5 ain't as bad as some folks say it is IMHO, I usually never have any issues nailing focus. Also another thing to keep in mind, if you plan on getting the 55-300mm PLM lens, it won't work on the K5, and I highly recommend that lens too, if you want to be amazed at some AF performance, the try this lens...

dubyam · 08-12-2018, 03:43 PM - **1 Like**

While I understand Murphy, for sure, and have fought him hard a few times in my life, I don't worry much about battery issues, as I have had no trouble with the K-3/K-30 battery difference over time. As I said, that's a lesson I learned very hard, once, and I've not had that problem again when it comes to batteries, ammunition, phone charger cords, or the like. I'm beyond obsessive and don't worry about it much, due to that.

I'm very appreciative of the comments. I think I've found a solution, but won't have it in hand for a week or two. It was pure good fortune, and made my decision completely for me. Oh, and I'll still be trying to enter to win the K-1 if I can get in on one of the threads. Thanks for all the advice and comment. It's been good to hear. As soon as I finish a small honey-do chore for my Lovely Bride, I'm heading out to test the focal distance on my K-3 with a focus card I picked up recently, and see if I can figure out whether it's a lens issue or (what I really suspect) the loose nut behind the viewfinder.

dubyam · 08-20-2018, 09:16 PM - **5 Likes**

To bring some closure to this thread - for now - I'll go ahead and further illuminate the solution I found. After I posted this thread, during the discussion, a member of the forum contacted me via PM to lament the pending lack of disposable income I would have with my son off at college. He also invoked a little Corleone humor, making me an offer I couldn't refuse. At his insistence, I am now the proud owner of a lightly used K-5, as his gift to me. He apparently had too many camera bodies lying around and figured this would get good use if he sent it to me. He did make me promise to do him a favor and pass the gift along when the time was right. I'm already contemplating getting a photography merit badge instructor certification and finding a worthy Scout who may be able to use this camera as a loaner for now, and perhaps when I am ready to upgrade, eventually, making a gift to a Scout at that time to get him started. I'll be sure to include a kit lens and perhaps an extra 50mm prime.

I won't identify the member, though he may at his own discretion (or peril?), but I am humbled by the gesture, and thrilled with the new K-5 sitting on my desk tonight. I hope to post some great images from both this K-5 and my K-3 here over the next few months and years. Thanks again for all the advice and counsel on what to get to back up my K-3. It's an amazing forum, for sure. And thank you, to my Godfather.

08-11-2018, 10:03 AM	#26
microlight Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,129	Murphy’s second law: the more complicated it is, the quicker it will go wrong. Last edited by microlight; 08-11-2018 at 11:29 AM.

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08-11-2018, 06:00 AM	#16
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	I have not gone through all the posts above, but I suspect that almost every Pentax DSLR that has been made will be recommended by someone. As a backup, to save money, I would personally recommend a good used K5. I think there are a good many available on the used market, and it uses the same battery as the K3 (be sure whatever body you select does - I'm not familiar with what batteries the K30, K70 etc.use). The KS2 recommended in the previous post looks like a very attractive alternative. An articulating screen is really useful.

08-11-2018, 06:15 AM	#17
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,582	Originally posted by WPRESTO . . . it uses the same battery as the K3 (be sure whatever body you select does - . . . . having a common battery to use among your cameras may seem to be a small thing to think about until you find yourself " in the field " with the wrong back up battery that is one reason I like a battery grip which also has a AA battery tray since those are regularly available as a last resort my AA tray is permanently stored in the camera bag

08-11-2018, 06:23 AM	#18
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	Originally posted by aslyfox having a common battery to use among your cameras may seem to be a small thing to think about until you find yourself " in the field " with the wrong back up battery Minor, yes, but I had three batteries for my K20 (= two backups) that all were useless when I bought a K5, for which I purchased two backup batteries, and those also serve the K3 and K1. If you get a camera that uses the same battery as one you have, you automatically get a backup. It's a small thing, but I was annoyed when the K2o batteries could not be used in a K5. I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery.

08-11-2018, 06:31 AM	#19
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,582	Originally posted by WPRESTO Minor, yes, but I had three batteries for my K20 (= two backups) that all were useless when I bought a K5, for which I purchased two backup batteries, and those also serve the K3 and K1. If you get a camera that uses the same battery as one you have, you automatically get a backup. It's a small thing, but I was annoyed when the K2o batteries could not be used in a K5. I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery. I agree not much you can do with a battery that fits the old camera that you got rid of or doesn't work except grab it by mistake when you are in a hurry

08-11-2018, 06:36 AM	#20
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	Originally posted by aslyfox I agree not much you can do with a battery that fits the old camera that you got rid of or doesn't work except grab it by mistake when you are in a hurry I used the K20 in my "studio" for quite a few years, then it was pushed out by the K5 when the K3 pushed the K5 out of being the main camera. The K20 and its batteries have gone to another Pentaxian whose K20 turned base-plate up. I think he likes that particular model.

08-11-2018, 08:02 AM	#21
dubyam Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 221 Original Poster	Batteries have never been an issue for me, as I'm pretty obsessive about double checking that what I have matches, before I leave the house. Couple that with carrying a lot of extra gear, all the time, and you see why I've never had an issue. It probably stems from arriving at hunting camp many years ago with the wrong box of ammo for the rifle I was carrying. One lesson (a tough one, with a long drive home and back and a missed hunt the first day) is all it took to have me start verifying the little details pretty obsessively. I haven't had any issues mixing up the DLi109 (K-3) and DLi90 (K-30) batteries up to this point, at least. But it is a good point, and appreciated.

08-11-2018, 09:25 AM	#22
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,174	Originally posted by dubyam The K-5 is an interesting option, but it is a dated design, and while the controls appear to be fairly similar to the K-3's, which would help with keeping things intuitive, would I lose enough going backward to warrant spending the extra to get a newer body? The design isn't much different from the K-3 series of cameras, and complaints about "old" technology are misplaced. The fact is, DSLRs became mature products around the time the K-5 was released, and there hasn't really been significant advances in technology since. If you want a less "old" camera, there's always the K-5iis.

08-11-2018, 09:28 AM	#23
h4yn0nnym0u5e Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2016 Location: Cambridgeshire, UK Photos: Albums Posts: 333	Originally posted by WPRESTO I think in the current Pentax lineup, the K1, K1 II and K70 use the same battery, but the KP uses a different, smaller battery. Looking at the comparison chart, the KP and K70 both use the D-Li109. I'd want the KP myself, for the DOF bracketing feature. Please Ricoh, could you implement that on the K-1!

08-11-2018, 09:30 AM - 1 Like	#24
aslyfox Seeker of Knowledge Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Topeka, Kansas Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 24,582	Originally posted by dubyam Batteries have never been an issue for me, as I'm pretty obsessive about double checking that what I have matches, before I leave the house. Couple that with carrying a lot of extra gear, all the time, and you see why I've never had an issue. It probably stems from arriving at hunting camp many years ago with the wrong box of ammo for the rifle I was carrying. One lesson (a tough one, with a long drive home and back and a missed hunt the first day) is all it took to have me start verifying the little details pretty obsessively. I haven't had any issues mixing up the DLi109 (K-3) and DLi90 (K-30) batteries up to this point, at least. But it is a good point, and appreciated. Murphey's Law anything that can go wrong will go wrong Finnegan's corollary to Murphy's Law Murphy was an optimist

08-11-2018, 09:58 AM	#25
bwgv001 Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: Alabama Photos: Gallery Posts: 697	another K-3; you are already familiar with it

08-11-2018, 10:26 AM	#27
WPRESTO Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Massachusetts Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 59,138	Specific application of Murphy's Law that has rung true in my ear ever since I first heard it The smallest, most important, and only irreplaceable part will roll to the most inaccessible spot on the workshop floor, especially if there's a drain. There are of course many other applications and restatement: If you put it off until tomorrow, it will be too late. If you must remove several screws, you will strip the head of the last one. The person you don't want to talk to will sit next to you at every gathering. Once you've though of everything, there's something else. If you sharpen a pencil before you start to write, the point will break immediately. Whatever the doctor tells you don't need to worry about, you do. The cost for having a job done always exceeds the estimate. Whatever your insurance covers won't happen. Whatever happens is not covered by your insurance. etc. etc. etc.

08-11-2018, 01:51 PM	#28
BirdDude007 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Las Vegas NV Photos: Albums Posts: 784	I have the K3 and just recently acquired it, really liking the camera. I already have a K5 and to me it is a phenomenal performer even after all that I have put it through, I kept it as a back up body to my K3, however I find myself using it just as much. The layout is simaler to the K3, so switching back and forth between bodies is a no brainier. The IQ of the K5 is just as good (if not better in some situations) as the K3, however the K3 has higher resolution. I found you can find K3 bodies in excellent condition for around $400/grip for $100. And you can find K5s in good condition for around $200/grips for$60. The choice obviously is yours, but I highly recommend either camera. As for AF? Well the AF on the K5 ain't as bad as some folks say it is IMHO, I usually never have any issues nailing focus. Also another thing to keep in mind, if you plan on getting the 55-300mm PLM lens, it won't work on the K5, and I highly recommend that lens too, if you want to be amazed at some AF performance, the try this lens...

08-12-2018, 03:43 PM - 1 Like	#29
dubyam Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 221 Original Poster	While I understand Murphy, for sure, and have fought him hard a few times in my life, I don't worry much about battery issues, as I have had no trouble with the K-3/K-30 battery difference over time. As I said, that's a lesson I learned very hard, once, and I've not had that problem again when it comes to batteries, ammunition, phone charger cords, or the like. I'm beyond obsessive and don't worry about it much, due to that. I'm very appreciative of the comments. I think I've found a solution, but won't have it in hand for a week or two. It was pure good fortune, and made my decision completely for me. Oh, and I'll still be trying to enter to win the K-1 if I can get in on one of the threads. Thanks for all the advice and comment. It's been good to hear. As soon as I finish a small honey-do chore for my Lovely Bride, I'm heading out to test the focal distance on my K-3 with a focus card I picked up recently, and see if I can figure out whether it's a lens issue or (what I really suspect) the loose nut behind the viewfinder.

08-20-2018, 09:16 PM - 5 Likes	#30
dubyam Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Huntsville, AL Posts: 221 Original Poster	To bring some closure to this thread - for now - I'll go ahead and further illuminate the solution I found. After I posted this thread, during the discussion, a member of the forum contacted me via PM to lament the pending lack of disposable income I would have with my son off at college. He also invoked a little Corleone humor, making me an offer I couldn't refuse. At his insistence, I am now the proud owner of a lightly used K-5, as his gift to me. He apparently had too many camera bodies lying around and figured this would get good use if he sent it to me. He did make me promise to do him a favor and pass the gift along when the time was right. I'm already contemplating getting a photography merit badge instructor certification and finding a worthy Scout who may be able to use this camera as a loaner for now, and perhaps when I am ready to upgrade, eventually, making a gift to a Scout at that time to get him started. I'll be sure to include a kit lens and perhaps an extra 50mm prime. I won't identify the member, though he may at his own discretion (or peril?), but I am humbled by the gesture, and thrilled with the new K-5 sitting on my desk tonight. I hope to post some great images from both this K-5 and my K-3 here over the next few months and years. Thanks again for all the advice and counsel on what to get to back up my K-3. It's an amazing forum, for sure. And thank you, to my Godfather.