[LoudYeti]

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?

[Saltwater Images]

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)?

[stevebrot]

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.

What are you currently shooting with? What features are you wanting in a new camera that you don't have on your current camera and where are your points of irritation or pain with your that camera that you are hoping a new camera will correct? If your current camera were to die tonight, would a lightly-used K-3II at a decent price be acceptable as a short-term solution?

These are rhetorical questions, of course, but the answers might provide some clarity. I bought my K-3 March of 2014 and while it has a low shutter count, it would be nice to have a clear replacement available having the clear factors that still differentiate my camera from the KP.


Steve

[ramseybuckeye]

I was using a K-50 and K-30. I bought a Sony a6000 mostly because of the fast autofocus (when the camera was introduced it was the fastest AF). Then last summer there was a real deal on the KP on Amazon, so I pulled the trigger. Since getting the KP I think I've only used the Sony once or twice. That fastest AF was not that much faster, unless you compare to a slow focus lens like the DA*300. But then Sony has nothing to compare the the DA*300 unless you want to spend way more money. The KP is superb in low light, and I've bought the DA 55-300 plm lens which focuses super fast. I'll have to say that I shot some basketball and soccer with the Sony and 50-200 lens, very fast burst but the IQ of the lens wasn't that good, and tracking AF was good, but not great. You may do well with a Sony and 70-200 lens, I haven't shot any sports yet with the KP. The burst rate is enough for me, I stopped using continuous shooting because I got too many of the same/similar frames anyway. Hopefully this Spring I will be able to use the KP and 55-300 plm for soccer.

[tvdtvdtvd]

I too am waiting for the K-3 replacement, but I certainly am not contemplating a jump in ship. Fact is my K-3 still takes awesome
photographs. Any advancements introduced since then constitute bonuses, not absolute necessities that I currently lack. I'm sure
I'll enjoy some of advancements once I have them in hand but there is honestly nothing lacking in my K-3 that makes me think,
"If only I had that feature....". We're long past that point when a new digital camera obsoleted after 6 months, (or even 5 years).

The grass is plenty green from my vantage, even if it hasn't been mowed for a while. I truly don't see anything greener over the
fence, only different varieties of grass.

[tokyoscape]

I am about to type something very similar to what tvdtvdtvd said!
However, my next upgrade will be a FF sensor and it must not be something bigger and heavier than my current K3. It doesn’t matter Mirrorless or DSLR, If Pentax could offer a FF DSLR the size of K3, I will be very happy. If not, I will move on.
By the time I am ready to give up the K3, Mirrorless’s market would be more mature and hopefully the oversize lens design that try to correct all the problem known to mankind will be out of fashion. If Photography is Art; to me, Art is not about perfection, it's all about expression. Try to correct too many problems on the lens design just to come up with humongous lens size at the end is somewhat unnecessary and totally defeat the point of using smaller FF body.

[bobmaxja]

THe KP with the 55-300 PLM is a fast horse, a lot faster than the K5 or K-3

[PJ1]

the mirrorless that all the "cool" kids seem to be into

Those of us who grabbed a K-01 were "cool" before others decided mirrorless was "cool". But, seriously, it depends on what you want the camera for. I look at it like this: I have a K-3 and it suits my needs. There is a lot more to master before I decide it is time to upgrade. It am not into video (never used the function) but I need a good stills camera. When I upgrade it will have to be for a new body APS-C body that offers a major advance that I can use. I am pretty much committed to APS-C because I like the extra reach the smaller angle of view gives me - when it comes to lenses that is more reach for less cost. Yes, you can crop from FF, but FF is generally more than I need. The K-3ii replacement is coming. Ricoh have said so and there are still DA (APS-C) lenses on the roadmap. Being optimistic, I think the reason for the silence on the new APS-C DSLR is because it is going to be a major step forward in some areas. Logically, in your 100th anniversary year, you would want something to make a splash with and you would want to keep it well under wraps to get maximum benefit from that splash.

[dbs]

Oh Dear I'm still using my 100D Super , I don't know what I really need or is it what I want. It works just fine for me

Dave

[LoudYeti]

I’m a video person by trade. So thats a bit of a sore spot for me. I use a lot of Canon and Blackmagic for work and I just like the idea of having one camera on me in my travels that does both well. ( XT3 - A7III - 5D )

I have a lot of old glass so I’m not invested in FF or APS I can go either way. But when I got in the game with Pentax, most camera’s were all kinda the same. But pentax had IBS and weather sealing and what I liked more in a photo and feel of a camera. But now there are so many flavors and things that hit a few more of my wish list boxes.

I think i was just really hoping for CP+ to be the day when they pulled back the sheet and my new camera was underneath. But now there’s rumors of 2020 for the next “Pentax” camera and thats just a bit of a bummer.

---------- Post added 02-28-19 at 10:57 PM ----------

I have a k200d & Kx. I used to have a K5 but that was stolen. A silly amount of af360s and lenses for days. I was going to get a K3 when the K5 disappeared on me. But I kept saying I’ll wait till the next one. And have been just using my K200 as my daily driver.

Eventually, I'll wear out the pair of K3II's in my working bag. I'm okay with buying used K3IIs as replacements. I'd be okay if they start making K3II's again.

[Paul the Sunman]

I'd be okay if they start making K3II's again.

The mystery is why they discontinued the K3ii (long) before a replacement was ready. It makes no sense.

[biz-engineer]

The mystery is why they discontinued the K3ii (long) before a replacement was ready. It makes no sense.

it's not a mystery The replacement was the KP. 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.

[zzeitg]

Have you had this? Do you ever think this way? Well now what?

The absence of APS-C flagship is frustrating. I'm even considering buying a (used) K-3 II because KP is clearly a downgrade in several (for me) important aspects.

[Papa_Joe]

If video is what you are looking for, I think you really should think about jumping the ship.
For a replacement of your K200D, buy a used K-3 or K-5 or try to get one of the last new K-2S, if you do not like the KP to bridge the time until 2022.
My guess is, you will not buy the new Pentax in 2022 as you will be very content with the one you have. Second guess: Video mode will not be a stellar performer in the 2022 camera, too.