[Pedroboe]

Hi All

I'm a regular lurker here. Iv'e enjoyed Pentax for years and have a few of them , including mark newson (!!!). I have been very happy with K5iis for a long time and although I don't shoot so much anymore, I am getting ready to travel through Spain next week.
I ordered a KP, thinking that I wanted something small, but it actually feels to small in the grip, plus overall the body doesn't seem to be that much smaller than K5. I didn't do any pixel peeping, but files looked similar on lightroom.
I am seriously considering the K1, but I would gain the weight and size plus don't know if I want to pay that much?
The other option would be the K3ii, but do you think that I woud miss the K5iis?
I do think that the K5iis files have gotten a little less sharp. I just checked for actuations and it's on the 14,000 range... I am also very used to the K5 ergonomically. Furthermore, I sometimes experience sudden battery discharges, hence I am worried about reliability, as the camera has been used and abused. In fact, the grip doesn't seem to be getting along with the body these days...

Would you go for K3ii, or K1? The trip to Spain is two weeks long and I do want to bring home some good files. If you are interested in seeing my skill level, check my account on flickr under the same username as here.

Many thanks!

Pedro

[aslyfox]

Consider posting enough in August to enter the raffle for the K1 if we reach the needed posts


Pentax K-1 Triple Giveaway: Summer 2018 - Giveaways and Events | PentaxForums.com

or renting something for your trip

I have had good luck with Lensrentals.com

[twilhelm]

The K3ii is very similar to the K5 series in most ways. It does not have a built in flash because of the GPS, so keep that in mind.

In Lightroom and on a monitor, files from your K5ii will look similar to pretty much all the newer bodies. The difference will show with heavy cropping, pixel peeping and larger prints. The KP, K3ii and K-1 have better low light performance and noticibly better autofocus.

If I were you, and were concerned about my camera before a big trip, I would get another. What you get is your personal preference. Do you have the full frame glass you would need or the means to buy them? The K-1 really isn’t that much heavier when you start using it, but unless you have a reason to go that route (I have more legacy glass than I can count) I would save the money and go with one of the other two.

[normhead]

You didn't say what lenses you have or how much you're thinking of spending. Are you keeping the K-P or sending it back.

MY wife K-5 was given new life when she start stealing my 28-105. You also might consider betting more modern glass, depending on what you're shooting. A K-1 is the same pixel pitch as a K-5, so if you are suffering a loss in sharpness on your K-5, a K-1 isn't going to help. The K=P and K-3 will be even more demanding. My wife K-5 has xclsoe to 70,000 actuations and is 6 years so unless you're really abusive all our camera needs is a good cleaning.

But to me a trip to Spain means narrow roads, dark church intereiors a need for fast wide angle or Ultra wide angle lenses. Apparently the K-1 and K-3 are pretty similar in terms of low light performance, although he K-1 will have much better dynamic range.

SO, what lenses do you own?

[C_Jones]

I have both the K-3 II and the K-5IIS. My K-5IIS has over 50,000 shutter actuations and still manages to produce excellent shots. My K-3 II also is an excellent camera. Though the K-5IIS provides excellent images, the K-3 II has things like User modes on a dial, built in GPS/Astrotracer, pixel shift resolution option for stills, two sd card slots, and maybe slightly quicker AF. If your K-5IIS does not seem to give you the images it originally did after only 14,000 shutter actuations, you may want to have it checked. If you do have image depreciation and are looking for a new camera to have right away, I would recommend the K-3 II, or if you can use your K-5IIS until the next new Pentax aps-c model is introduced, which may have new features/attributes that you may want, that may be a good idea.

[VoiceOfReason]

The K1 will outperform your K5 in every way, but is heavier.

[Pedroboe]

Thanks so much for the excellent answers. I do have a few lenses. Got Limited 77, 35, 43 and 100m macro (not really a limited, I guess). Also the new limited zoom , can't remember, but it's the wide angle one. I also have 100 to 300 and the standard green one, 24 to 135????
And a Sigma UAW which is super wide but can't remember! 10 to 12 or something. Did I mention it's been a while?
I also have a GH4 by another camera brand with nice lenses, which is my go to for my daughters recitals. But I don't like the stills from that camera....

---------- Post added 08-12-18 at 12:13 PM ----------

Im thinking , bite the bullet and get K1.... that way I will actually notice a real improvement.

[Excalibor]

Well, with all that glass, the K-1 should serve you well. Take with you the 10-12 for interiors and buildings and such, the 35 as the street lens and maybe the 100mm if you want some detailed pictures or some wildlife. Two weeks in Spain will give you plenty.

If you give me an idea of your trip, I might try and offer a better glass selection.

Anyway, enjoy your trip and you new camera!

Cheers!

[steve_k]

Thanks so much for the excellent answers. I do have a few lenses. Got Limited 77, 35, 43 and 100m macro (not really a limited, I guess). Also the new limited zoom , can't remember, but it's the wide angle one. I also have 100 to 300 and the standard green one, 24 to 135????
And a Sigma UAW which is super wide but can't remember! 10 to 12 or something. Did I mention it's been a while?
I also have a GH4 by another camera brand with nice lenses, which is my go to for my daughters recitals. But I don't like the stills from that camera....

---------- Post added 08-12-18 at 12:13 PM ----------

Im thinking , bite the bullet and get K1.... that way I will actually notice a real improvement.

Pedro,

From what you stated I think you would be fine with the K-5 IIS and the GH4 as a backup. That said I think you want to purchase a new body and based upon your original post I think the K-1 or mark II is probably the best choice at the moment if you are looking for brand new. A used K-3 or K-3 II is also a good option and very economical. Either way I feel you would be much happier with a flagship over the other available options.

[twilhelm]

Thanks so much for the excellent answers. I do have a few lenses. Got Limited 77, 35, 43 and 100m macro (not really a limited, I guess). Also the new limited zoom , can't remember, but it's the wide angle one. I also have 100 to 300 and the standard green one, 24 to 135????
And a Sigma UAW which is super wide but can't remember! 10 to 12 or something. Did I mention it's been a while?
I also have a GH4 by another camera brand with nice lenses, which is my go to for my daughters recitals. But I don't like the stills from that camera....

---------- Post added 08-12-18 at 12:13 PM ----------

Im thinking , bite the bullet and get K1.... that way I will actually notice a real improvement.

With the lenses you have, you could go either way. The DA20-40 (the only Limited zoom) is an amazing lens. It is only useable on the K-1 from 25-35 and at wider apertures, about 5.6, maybe f/8.

If you did go with a K-1 and had the sensor cleaned on the K5iis, you would have a great two body travel kit.

And as norm stated, I’m thinking a lot of wide dark places to photograph.

Enjoy the trip!

[mikesbike]

The KP is a lighter, more compact low-light champion among metal-bodied DSLRs. I also have the K-5 IIs, bought new as a discontinued model after the K-3 came out. The K-5 IIs proved out as slightly better in high-ISO performance than the K-3, so I went for it at a greatly reduced cost. The K-3 is also heavier. But the KP is far better.

Last year I went for the KP. It has proven to be an outstanding performer. The KP was designed to provide IQ as close as possible to the FF K-1 in a much smaller APS-C body, and it has been a success. Being very used to a K-5/K-3 type body, there is some adjustment going to the more slim KP. I had no trouble with that at all, since I had shot with compact Pentax manual-focus 35mm film cameras for years. The new DA 20-40mm zoom lens was also a design match for the KP, as well as the Limited prime lenses. I would say use the larger grip of the KP and go from there. Right now I have the 20-40mm Limited on it with the smallest grip. I prefer the largest grip when I am taking along the DA* 50-135mm lens, but could still do ok with the smallest grip. The optional battery grip can provide yet more grip along with much more battery life, at about the same weight as the K-3.

But I still have and use my K-5 IIs because it still delivers very fine image quality, so I use it when I want its more dedicated control set and/or its bulk for large lenses.

With your compact, high-quailty Limited prime lenses, and your excellent compact, high-quality DA 20-40mm zoom lens having WR, I would say the KP is virtually ideal, since it was designed with these lenses in mind, and its having outstanding high-ISO capability, once you get used to its slimmer body style.

[Pedroboe]

Thanks so much. I admit that the layout of the KP felt a little bit foreign to me and I didn't give it enough time for some ergo learning. To make matters worse, my specimen came with dust bunnies in the viewfinder and I felt compelled to return for that reason too. I am going to test the k5 for the next two days and see if it works as expected. I will look closely at the files and maybe I can post some here for you to analyze.

Pedro

---------- Post added 08-12-18 at 10:56 PM ----------

With the lenses you have, you could go either way. The DA20-40 (the only Limited zoom) is an amazing lens. It is only useable on the K-1 from 25-35 and at wider apertures, about 5.6, maybe f/8.

If you did go with a K-1 and had the sensor cleaned on the K5iis, you would have a great two body travel kit.

And as norm stated, I’m thinking a lot of wide dark places to photograph.

Enjoy the trip!

Many thanks. Yes, will be visiting the mosque in córdoba and la Alhambra in Granada. Also the pueblos blancos and Will be in sevilla a few days, so plenty of nightlife plus the white towns in midday will put pressure on the dynamic range, something that the K1 should be able to do well...

Pedro

[Excalibor]

Try not to miss the Nocturnal cuide visit to the mosque-cathedral in Cordoba, it's exceptionally amazing. Plus, don't miss the popular Spanish omelette at has Santos. It's a potatoes omelette that's about six or seven times the thickness of a usual one, it's quite surprising.

If your schedule allows, it would surely be a crime to miss Medinat al'Zahar, in modern Spanish Medina Azahara, a palace-town created in the X by the calife of Cordoba. It's just 7km away from Cordoba and we'll communicated.

http://www.medinaazahara.org/

Have fun, Seville is amazing, don't miss the Plaza de España.

[Cerebum]

14000 is not a lot of actuations for a K5 of any description. Have you considered having it serviced?

Re Andalucia, I was in Seville in April, stunning place. Buy tickets in advance to avoid the queue, there is an entrance to the cathedral just behind the geraldo tower, that is much quieter, set aside half a day for the alcazar and treat yourself to some Ines Rosales tortas de acite I recommend the orange ones

[willeisner]

I would of K1 much more dynamic range, more possibilities, the difference between the two is gigantic, its lenses are good, if you have with money a 15 30 would be excellent