Originally posted by Merv-O Having a bit of seller's remorse over selling my K-3ii a few months ago after taking delivery of a K-1ii and am toying with the notion of buying a new leftover K-3ii for $900 or paying the same amount for a new KP?
Was hoping to hear from the Pentaxians and others who have used both cameras and/or opine on what to do?
Of course, we can wait until RICOH announces the new APS-c 'flagship' rumors have been swirling about for almost 2 years too.....Please advise. thanks.
Reading your initial question, there are really only two answers---
Answer #1: if you really liked the K-3ii, and miss it - then by all means you should spring for another one! Figuring out what you like, in the first place, is the hardest part...but it sounds like you already know (that you liked your K-3ii and miss it).
Answer #2: if, on the other hand, you've always really wanted a K-P, then it's the one for you!
Incidentally, I own neither...but several days ago, I purchased my very own K-P, which will be an upgrade for me over my ancient but quite wonderful K200D (which by the way I plan on keeping, since I like it too much to say farewell). But (and it's a big but) the other cameras that seriously tempted me, over the years, before finally springing for a K-P this week, were (in no special order) ... the Nikon Df ... various Fujifilms ... and the Olympus Pen F. I like retro designs with lots of buttons, but in my case, it's not just for a fashion statement: I grew up with analog and spent not years but decades, shooting with Spotmatics and MX's, and cameras with lots of buttons and dials feel 'right' to me. That said, I quite enjoy the tank-like solidity of my K200d and (I know I'm in the minority here) have never been too bothered by its unreliable AF and laughably limited ISO range. The thing I love about that camera is the sensor, and the colors, and how it renders---
Which of course suggests that there may be a 3rd answer to your original question---but it's an answer in the form of another Question:
Answer #3: Which of the two cameras, the K-3ii or the K-P....can create the kind of images you truly love?
It's not a trick question by the way. The lazy answer to the Question in Answer #3 would be: these days, all fine modern DSLR's have excellent sensors and when one is shooting RAW, the differences between RAW files are usually minimal, and you can usually achieve the look and the visual signature or effects you want if you know what you're doing in your 'Digital Darkroom'. And to a certain extent that answer is a good one. But---
But I still believe that different cameras have different looks to their files - differences which can't merely be ironed out or equalized in PP.
So---which one will give you better files - and thus, better images?
For me, personally, I came to the K-P for design and customizability factors and size - but also, at the end of the day, because I've seen some extraordinary pictures made by K-P photographers. But that's just my perception, really.
And, obviously, the reverse holds true: no matter how good your camera is, a bad or lazy (or both!) photographer can actually take terrible pictures with a great camera or lens. Go figure...
Good-luck with the decision. Obviously they are both fine cameras.