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03-01-2019, 01:48 AM - 2 Likes   #16
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QuoteOriginally posted by Saltwater Images Quote
I’ve been waiting for 2 years to upgrade my K-5II. The K-3II is a discontinued 4 year old platform. I shoot a lot of sports so the KP buffer falls short. I prefer the ergonomics of a K-5 style camera. Feeling pretty frustrated that there is no K-3II replacement before 2020 (if it happens at all). I have all the DA Limited’s and love them. I will buy a camera within the next few months before taking a trip to Europe. The plan was to buy Pentax. Now I have no idea what the plan will be but my cash which I have saved may most likely be spent on another brand. The original K-3 technology is 6 years old. Had Ricoh but the KP Sensor and stabilization in a K-3II body with dual card slots and a larger buffer I’d be happy. My question is how many have abandoned the brand due to the slow advancement in technology (and auto focus)?
Well shooting certain sports can be problematic for Pentax. Notice I say certain, not all. It depends on the context of the sport and the AF demands. Plenty Pentaxians do well at motor cross for example.

I've always thought you should buy what you need now and for what the job/focus is. Sport is not an issue for me, I don't encounter buffer issues too much (when I do I toggle to Jpg and write to one card, and dual wield if necessary). I shoot mainly Portraits and Landscapes, which is pretty much playing to Pentax's strengths.

If I had the funds I would possibly dual brand, and aim for a camera that is not so IQ focused but absolutely lighting quick and accurate for AF. I don't really think there is a brand that 'has it all', what Pentax has others don't and vice versa. We're all photographers here, buy the tool that's right for you

QuoteOriginally posted by LoudYeti Quote
I've been patiently waiting for a new Pentax camera. I've been interested in the KP but really was hoping for the K3 replacement. I am not sure a K1 is a great fit for me. I obsessively searched for news around CP+ but now that it seems there is nothing coming for a K3 I find myself at a cross roads of do I continue to invest in the Pentax lineup? Should I jump ship and try out the mirrorless that all the "cool" kids seem to be into?

I'm sure this is a case of "grass looks greener" but I find my self looking over the fence more than I'd like to.

Have you had this? Do you ever think this way? Well now what?
I would still suggest getting a KP, based on value alone it is incredible camera. It has the best IQ of all the Pentax bodies currently on offer or at least on par with the K-1/ii, superb in low light, 5 user modes, Av and Tv Bracketing (underrated useful features), silent ES, ES that can be used in AF.C mode and not even with LV if you don't want, ES that can be used in Continuous High Burst... highly customisable... all this for around $800AUD (at least on this side of the globe).
Honestly, it's light and what you lose in ergonomics it makes up for in compactness.
If my K-1 dies I will seriously consider just getting a second KP and dual wield both of those at events.

Point is, if something else comes out, just sell the KP, think of it as 'renting' till something better comes along.

03-01-2019, 02:24 AM   #17
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I am at a crossroads too. Ricoh simply does not offer a full system and seems to lack the motivation to do much about it. Lack of resources is not an excuse. If you want sales you invest in your brand. Living on dynamic range, small buffers, Astrotracker and "landscape photographers" is not going to get them much further. Like it or not the all in one camera is the future and having a niche product is no longer a strategy for long term survival.
03-01-2019, 03:51 AM   #18
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What camera format do you want, what lenses do you use, mirror or not. If you can live with EVF, it is time to go. If you like mirrors in cameras, it is impossible to find shake reduction and weather sealing at his price point from any other brand. Need faster AF, you can go better, but spend more money. With the D-FA 85 coming closer, K1ii is almost perfect. I could wish for more, but my bases are covered.
For APS-C it looks even better. Many more primes to chose from - although D-FA50 and 85 are very different from DA55 in my opinion.
03-01-2019, 04:23 AM - 1 Like   #19
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QuoteOriginally posted by gaweidert Quote
I am at a crossroads too. Ricoh simply does not offer a full system and seems to lack the motivation to do much about it. Lack of resources is not an excuse. If you want sales you invest in your brand. Living on dynamic range, small buffers, Astrotracker and "landscape photographers" is not going to get them much further. Like it or not the all in one camera is the future and having a niche product is no longer a strategy for long term survival.
That's fine to say, but is it realistic? What camera on the market is the 'all in one'? I know I have turned heads when I have shown images taken with a KP, with a DA15 or DA21 attached and then they hear the price point as well as seeing the utterly compactness of it all...

No camera seems to 'have it all', it may be very good but then also comes at a cost. Value is subjective.

You weigh things up, I don't think any company is particularly doomed by being a 'specialist' market. If Pentax choose to focus their sales on Landscape artists then I think it's still appealing to a significant chunk of the market that they'll do ok. There's something to be said for trying to be a 'jack of all trades' but its not a bad thing to be a master of one.
As photographers we just have to decide on what matters for us. Photography is a large area, it spans many genres and the needs and demands placed upon it can be difficult to accomplish (at least at certain price points). I think most of us feel that Pentax does a great job on many fronts, we're just frustrated they haven't gotten the other areas sorted adequately, because if they did they would prosper more and our choices for lenses and what not would increase (and we'd be taken more seriously ).

But I wouldn't wait hoping for some tech to 'have it all', life's too short. Buy into the platform that is going to fit your needs the most. You can still use Fuji but have a fondness for the Pentax brand

03-01-2019, 04:36 AM - 5 Likes   #20
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What to do?

a) Curl up in a corner and rock back and forth, repeatedly muttering PentaxIsDoomedTM

b) Switch brands, only to become dissatisfied with the limitations of your new kit

c) Be happy with the devil you know
03-01-2019, 05:11 AM   #21
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QuoteOriginally posted by BruceBanner Quote
That's fine to say, but is it realistic? What camera on the market is the 'all in one'? I know I have turned heads when I have shown images taken with a KP, with a DA15 or DA21 attached and then they hear the price point as well as seeing the utterly compactness of it all...

No camera seems to 'have it all', it may be very good but then also comes at a cost. Value is subjective.
The latest offering from Olympus has me drooling. That MFT camera could be a real winner for them. Awesome SR which can be combined with the lenses internal SR to provide even more stability. A video reviewer did a demo of it where he was moving the camera all over the place and it remained locked on target.


It uses pixel shift technology that can generate 50MP images. Great autofocus. Frame rates that leaves Pentax, and some others, in the dust. Large buffer and two complete processors. 4k video if you want it too. Weather sealing etc. It is also at a price that I am willing to pay for a great camera.


If Pentax is developing something new then let us know. I will be 68 this month. I have no desire to wait "another few years" for something as simple as a new set of teleconverters. Their "wait until next year" approach is not a good strategy as they already use older technology in their latest models. If you want to limit new model introductions then what you do introduce should not already be obsolete when it hits the market.
03-01-2019, 05:26 AM   #22
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QuoteOriginally posted by Sandy Hancock Quote
What to do?

a) Curl up in a corner and rock back and forth, repeatedly muttering PentaxIsDoomedTM

b) Switch brands, only to become dissatisfied with the limitations of your new kit

c) Be happy with the devil you know


Well said.

03-01-2019, 06:12 AM   #23
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I have a k50, k3 and k1, with lenses to satisfy each. I really don't have a need or desire to upgrade at this point. A new aps-c or ff would be interest but for myself, there isn't anything any brand has to offer that I require for my needs. But, it is fun to watch the show.
03-01-2019, 07:48 AM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by LoudYeti Quote
I've been patiently waiting for a new Pentax camera. I've been interested in the KP but really was hoping for the K3 replacement. I am not sure a K1 is a great fit for me. I obsessively searched for news around CP+ but now that it seems there is nothing coming for a K3 I find myself at a cross roads of do I continue to invest in the Pentax lineup? Should I jump ship and try out the mirrorless that all the "cool" kids seem to be into?

I'm sure this is a case of "grass looks greener" but I find my self looking over the fence more than I'd like to.
Have you had this? Do you ever think this way? Well now what?
I've been waiting since the fall of 2016 for that camera. One more year can't hurt. My K-50 bodies & lenses are still working. I also have a Nikon D7200 that I shoot with on occasion, so I'm in no rush.

Don't jump ship just yet. According to some comments from Ricoh, they claim that it will be worth the wait. I really do hope so. That camera will make or break Pentax for me, but I have a feeling that this camera might make a massive leap for Pentax in every sense of the way.
03-01-2019, 07:50 AM   #25
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Before CP+, I was actually sitting here looking at my K3II almost feeling dejected at the thought of a new crop flagship coming out. You say what? Dejected over a new body? You're nuts! Well, it's like this. The K3II is so good in so many ways I would miss it and have a bit of a hard time mentally just scrapping it. I know the video isn't there, and that is what it is. But beyond that, the camera really still delivers. Yes, I'd like the higher ISO capabilities of the KP, and that combined with the K3II buffer and frame rates and even snappier AF would all be nice, but as I think of how well it performs with the 55-300 PLM, the build quality, all the other lenses available, and really, there's a ton out there - that's not what's holding back my skills as a photographer, the camera is quite capable. I could ramble on, but short take is if you've got some investment in glass, I wouldn't jump ship at this point. Snag a used K3II or KP and hang in there. Lots of year left. Ricoh, in my mind, just released a lot of things at the show if you think of the Ricoh branded products as part of the Pentax group resources. They've said this is a special year and things will be happening. Kick back, see what's up. Maybe it'll all implode, but have a hunch there's more coming.
03-01-2019, 08:45 AM   #26
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I went this morning to put all my stuff on KEH to sell and jump systems. I got all the way to the submit page and I couldn't do it.

It felt like I was going to sell off a family member. I didn't realize the emotional attachment that I had to this K200. It's literally been around the world with me. And if I'm keeping that then I should keep the lenses and so on.

I was looking at Canon's which would make the most sense for me ( EF is on every cinema camera that I have to use for work. ) and playing with some of the 5D's we have at the office and I'm just not excited about them. The EOS line seems like a bit of a train wreck. A Fuji's ergonomics look like it would drive me nuts, and Sony colors don't really do it for me. But just taking the K200 out of my bag made me feel good. Solid & comfortable and I've taken great shots with it.

Maybe Papa_Joe's right to look at a K3 or maybe I'll rent a K1 and see if I get some sort of spark while shooting with that. KP is nice I worry slightly about ergo though on that ( if any one knows a Pentax retailer in LA please let me know. Went to Sammys and they had a Pentax sign but ZERO cameras ) This brands got it hooks in me deep I really hope they come through. Just wish they'd give a few more hints on where they are going.

Last edited by LoudYeti; 03-01-2019 at 08:57 AM.
03-01-2019, 09:04 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
it's not a mystery The replacement was the KP.
Maybe, maybe not. From its release I always saw the KP as the next in the line of experiments begun with the KS-1.
Much more serious than the KS-1 or KS-2 and clearly aimed at the prosumer crowd and yet also clearly and distinctly
different from the flagship line.

QuoteOriginally posted by biz-engineer Quote
People deny that the KP was the successor of the K3II because they don't realize that the Pentax user base is a user base of slow shooter and Ricoh doesn't make a 300 f2.8 , 400 f4 and 600 f4 lenses. The difficulty when being the camera business, is the diversity of customers, some want features that they understand, while others want features because they saw it in the catalogue on competitor brands and they want the same.
?????

I am a slow(*) shooter and I rarely ever use long lenses. But I fail to see how that obviates the other qualities of the K-3. Top end build
is my first draw to the flagship line to be quite honest, especially when Pentax has always delivered that at such a reasonable price.
The fact that the K-3 has a much higher rated shutter and has not suffered from aperture block failure is IMO plenty validation for
wanting to purchase the flagship line. Throw in dual card slots, better battery and a few other features and I will continue to set my
eyes on the flagship line, even if I'm paying for things I really don't need, like 8.3 fps.

Now, whether or not the APS-C flagship line was meant to come to an end with the K-3 is debatable. I do think their is some credence
to suggest the >K-1< was the intended successor to the K-3. Most all the people pining for FF were flagship APS-C shooters
and the overall design philosophy of the K-1 is that of the APS-C flagship line, only bigger.

The KP, on the other hand, is an entirely different camera, with natural advancements but also clear disadvantages. Sound familiar?
That's because we saw those same qualities in the KS-1 and KS-2 when they were released.

Denial isn't even required.

* - I assume by 'slow' you mean someone who doesn't chase fast moving subjects at a long distance??? To that end, yes, I am a slow
shooter. I typically shoot wide to portrait, I use MF as much if not more than AF and I rarely ever shoot on burst. I like to consider my
shooting style as 'measured', as opposed to the spazzy spray and pray shooter who argues about burst rates and buffer capacities.
03-01-2019, 09:14 AM   #28
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If you have the funds to change systems then why not go medium format ?
The prices in Aus are pretty close to mirrorless lens prices and the body add a $1000 more to a K1.

The grass may look greener but thats only in the sunlight

Dave
03-01-2019, 09:18 AM   #29
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Yes, I don't understand why Ricoh discontinued the K-3II without a having a replacement. The KP is a downgrade in many respects, and clearly a successor in the KS line, rather than the K-7/5/3 line.
03-01-2019, 10:09 AM   #30
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QuoteOriginally posted by tvdtvdtvd Quote
Maybe, maybe not.
The replacement was from Ricoh marketing standpoint, customers who looking after high FPS and focus tracking disagree that the KP is the successor of the K3 II , but from a business cycle revenue profile standpoint for Ricoh KP is the successor of the K3 series.

---------- Post added 01-03-19 at 18:16 ----------

QuoteOriginally posted by Gray Quote
Yes, I don't understand why Ricoh discontinued the K-3II without a having a replacement. The KP is a downgrade in many respects, and clearly a successor in the KS line, rather than the K-7/5/3 line.
The KP is a downgrade on the dynamic shooting aspects but it is an upgrade on other features such as: pixel shift, electronic shutter, accelerator that improves overall perceived image quality and higher ISO settings, as well as K1 style with smart dials and customizable info menu. You have to think not from the old Pentax DSLR perspective but from the Ricoh perspective. Look at the X series from Fuji, when Ricoh saw that a lot of Pentaxians were getting Fuji x series camera, Ricoh designed an clone version DSLR for matching the limited primes. There is no 300 f2.8 or 400 f4 , the fastest long lens for Pentax is the DFA150-450 with AF not comparable with Nikon / Canon primes. What will happen if Ricoh makes a K3 II successor that is not even half a good as a D500? => Big disappointement and big whining again from the Pentaxians.
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