Originally posted by JohnKal Thanks for your opinion. The k3 ii is the model found brand new (not used) for 600€. I have already looked at Nikon, and Canon cameras, and in that price point, only Canon 80d is realy comperable with K3ii capabilities. Most comparison apps in internet giving Pentax advantage over qualitily, durability and IQ.
That's why i intend on Pentax. Any way there has been no order yet, so i am looking forward to get my final decision.
John
Well, the end-of-model run has long been the best time to find a great deal on a new camera. New is always better than used, especially when you find a good deal. I have done likewise quite often. I passed on the Pentax K-7 when it arrived and got a new left-over K20D instead at half price, with a free 5 year Pentax extended warranty included. Tests revealed no imaging advantage over the K20D for the new K-7. After some years, I advanced to the K-5 and K-5 IIs, being definitely superior to the K20D in low noise performance at higher ISO, and both for the price of one after the K-3 arrived, as I did not find enough advancement for my needs in the K-3 over the K-5 IIs.
But this time around, things have been different. As usual, the drop in price for a new K-3 II has been due to its being discontinued for new model arrivals, but if it were me I would hesitate on taking the deal offered, because in this case the models superseding it present some substantial advancements. So as I say, I had passed on the K-3 series but finally bit on the KP when a price reduction for it came along. There is also an actual replacement model for the K-3 II in the works, which will incorporate all advancements of the KP in the larger K-3 II size body style. I believe this will not be long in coming. It will probably come in price-wise here in the US at around $1,300 if past practice is any indication.
As to other brands- Nikon, Canon, etc. with Pentax you have the advantage of having SR built into the body instead of separately in each lens. With APS-C DSLR cameras, a fast 50mm f/1.8, f1.7, or f/1.4 for example, can provide a very good focal length for portrait use, and with the ability to achieve a more blurred background to make your subject stand out more because of their wider aperture capability. Such a lens also has many other uses, such as in low light scenes. With Pentax, you will also have SR available through the camera body regardless, while such a lens of this type with other brands is unlikely to feature any shake reduction system built into it. Same is true of the fine-performing DA 35mm f/2.4 or FA 35mm f/2, as well as a host of legacy glass, some of which can be had for very reasonable cost. You will also have WR construction with your DA 18-135mm and your DA 55-300mm lenses. With Nikon or Canon, getting WR construction in a lens starts around the $1,000 USD range.
Then there is the exclusive Pentax Hyper System, which allows instantaneous on-the-fly user over-ride of aperture or shutter speeds set by the camera during Program automatic exposure operation, without even having to take the eye away from the VF. You just select your own choice of either, and the camera will obey while instantly switching to Av or Tv without your having to first set the mode dial from P to Av or Tv and then make your selection. Full P mode is restored with a touch of a button. That same button can be used in (Hyper) Manual mode to instantly set both aperture and shutter speed for a meter-centered exposure without having to twirl the thumb and finger dials in the usual manner. Very fast and efficient operational systems.
Last edited by mikesbike; 02-06-2019 at 11:10 PM.