[totsmuyco]

Pentax I think made the best body designs in terms of comfort when holding the camera. I have held other cameras but the k-5II and the k-3II are the most comfortable to hold of all the cameras I've tried. If you get a KP, you just have to adapt to it. I never complained using my Canon AE-1 during the film days. The AE-1 didn't have a motor drive but a power winder without a grip. I think the feel of the KP is quite the same.

[mikesbike]

Getting into the Pentax 35mm AF bodies, the one the KP resembles very strongly, in appearance and in handling feel, is the ZX-5n/MZ-5n (same camera). It can be found on the Pentax K-Mount Page website.

The KP with its battery grip attached weighs about the same as the K-3 II without a battery grip, but it also can provide even more battery life. The main shortcoming of the KP's battery grip is the lack of a finger notch area near the top.

[bkpix]

Anyone contemplating the move to KP from a K-3/5/7 body should give the KP some time. The transition is jarring, at first. The KP feels angular and uncomfortable, and the control structure is different enough to require some relearning.

I actually rented the KP twice, a week each time a few months apart, and still thought about it for some months before making the jump from a K-5IIs. What pushed me was the undeniable increase in low-light image quality I could see in my image files. Now that I've been shooting with two KPs for about a year, I'm sold — though still very interested in what Ricoh has up its sleeve as the new APS-C king.

From posts I've read here and elsewhere, mine is not an uncommon experience. The KP does grow on you, but it takes time.

[garywakeling]

Interesting post, I have always had the extra grips with my cameras K10 K7 K5 K3 and K1. To me they just add to the ease of use of the camera. The biggest issue I have with the KP is not the quality of photos, or the angular feel and grip, it is with the use of the small battery, that I can't use with the other K's, I just love having lots of spare capacity with one battery in the grip and one in the body, days of shooting without ever thinking of swapping them.

[Cerebum]

Great thread, since I'm thinking of getting another Pentax body. I have very small hands, yet I feel that my K3 fits perfectly with longer lenses. I've never felt it was too large to be readily used. I don't use battery grips, as that adds weight, which is what I don't need. The one feature on the KP that is missing, and I use constantly; is the top display.

I'm in no hurry; but threads like this are really very helpful to those of us that cannot walk into a camera store & hold a specific camera.

I have the K3 round my kneck as we speak with an old Pentax m135. I tried the M 135 on the KP and it wasn't that comfortable, whereas on the K3 it is peachy. I found the large KP grip had a tendency to point the camera down, strangely. The KP is a FANTASTIC as a general camera with a limited lens or a lightweight 50-200 which is my main shooting style. The K3 is perfect for heavier or manual glass. As for the top LCD, because my shooting style changes with the KP, I don't actually miss it.

[brewmaster15]

Richard, Thank you for this thread. As someone that is extremely happy with the k3 I appreciate it. I read alot here how the kp is better in some regards as far image quality and its enticing. To pick up a camera that has better performance sensor wise could be a very good thing for some of the photography I do.. Ergonomics are important though to me as some of my lenses are bigger and heavy. I came from a k20d to the k3 and at first did not like the feel of the k3 .. the camera grip was too small for my hands.. Adding a battery grip though was magic and perfect..My k3s all have grips now... Its a shame they didnt make a k3 model 3 with the kp sensor.. (not a complaint just a thought).

Anyhow, thank you for sharing your experiences and thoughts here between the k3 and the kp. The gears are still turning but I think for now I may stay with the k3s unless I see a sweet deal on the Kp. If the kp did not exist the k3 would be the perfect dslr for my needs as I really haven't found it lacking for the kind of photography I like to do...its been a joy.

Al

[richard0170]

The gears are still turning but I think for now I may stay with the k3s unless I see a sweet deal on the Kp.

You seem be pretty much where I was. I was going to wait for the Xmas deals to take effect on used prices, but was lucky to come across a sweet deal before then. So, be patient and keep ;looking. You may be lucky,

---------- Post added 11-05-19 at 06:01 AM ----------

Many but not all seem to value the top LCD screen of the K3. I do not understand this as there is a bigger brighter screen at the back of the camera. I never look at the LCD on my K3. What am I missing?

[mikesbike]

When you get to one advanced design to yet another, there will always be pluses and minuses, it seems. Having come from numerous bodies featuring a top LCD screen, then going without- my first being the K-r, I do understand missing it during use. But I was able to adjust for the purpose of having an alternate smaller secondary body. I eventually gave away the K-r when I found an outstanding deal on the K-S2, which is itself outstanding for such a small DSLR (WR, 2-dial operation, etc.) so even more reason to be able to adjust to a back screen only.

Still using my K-5 IIs on a regular basis, I still do understand the virtues of the top LCD- basically not having to tip the camera forward to access information and make certain adjustments. Using the top LCD for such purposes is a bit more convenient and a bit faster as well. With its excellent dedicated on-body control layout, my K-5 IIs is one fast-operating DSLR. When I want or need this, it is always available and I have no intention of selling it. The KP, however, has a special controls layout also, where you can access certain functions and make certain adjustments very efficiently, in a very different design. All in all, with its controls, not quite as fast and direct as my K-5 IIs, but still superior in a different way. Those having both styles know what I mean. It boils down to having to do without something to gain something else new if you want to do so while having one body that is lighter and slimmer than the other.

It will be interesting to see how the new APS-C flagship will be designed, probably it will feature a top LCD, but it will be larger for sure than the KP.

[The Squirrel Mafia]

I came to a similar conclusion the last time I tried a KP in my hands while I was at Bic Camera in Japan. I'd switchback & forth between my K-50 & the KP. The KP just felt a bit weird in my hands. I guess I could eventually get used to it, but in the end I was pretty sure that I'd never really buy a KP. Don't get me wrong. It is a nice camera, but it'll end up giving me arthritis later on. Hahaha! That upcoming flagship will more than likely replace my K-50 bodies.

[Cerebum]

One plus about the KP is it’s reliability. I haven’t seen anyone reporting issues yet and it has been out more than two years

[mikesbike]

Coming from small bodies like the ME Super, Super Program, ZX/MZ series, etc. even after getting used to a PZ-Ip, (later a K20D, and a K-5), I have never felt the KP as being uncomfortable to handle. In fact I selected my first Pentax SLR in good part due to the compactness of the ME Super over similarly rated bodies by Canikon.

But I guess if my experience lay only in bodies like the K-50, K-30, etc. and I just handled a KP temporarily, which is minus the bulky right-sided battery holder/grip, and switching it back and forth with what I am used to, it would indeed seem weird. I'm sure handling a ZX/MZ-5n 35mm film body would feel cramped as well, as would even the pro-built MZ-S. That comparison at the time to the previous flagship, the PZ-1p, and the lesser bodies of the PZ series, would be very similar to current comparisons with the KP. Even I did indeed miss certain capabilities the PZ-1p had over its successor.

But it was not the difference in general handling that bothered me, although I actually knew of people who abandoned Pentax and went to Canikon due to the return of Pentax to more compact bodies.

[Cerebum]

A top LCD would have been handy to save battery life (you could turn the screen off) but then there would be no room for the lovely dials. Somehow they have made the KP look smaller than the K3, certainly in the case of the silver one, despite there being little size difference and I like that. It is discreet, which is great for street and when you are travelling light

[csa]

Many but not all seem to value the top LCD screen of the K3. I do not understand this as there is a bigger brighter screen at the back of the camera. I never look at the LCD on my K3. What am I missing?

The top LCD is much handier for me to check during photographing, I just glance down & can change settings. Using the back display means I would have to take the camera off the target, adjust settings, then go back to the target.

[mikesbike]

The top LCD is much handier for me to check during photographing, I just glance down & can change settings. Using the back display means I would have to take the camera off the target, adjust settings, then go back to the target.

Right indeed. I did get used to the rear screen only years ago when I got the K-r as my secondary body. Then on to the K-S2 to fill that role. But it is as you say, not as convenient. With the KP, however, the trade-off is for the beautiful new dials system on top. And with the KP, when working on a tripod you can tilt out the screen so you don't have to bend over or tilt the camera forward, and the display information is considerable larger and easier to read than the top LCD. I think the whole KP concept was very well thought out by its designers.

The KP also does not have facility for power zoom lenses to function as such. They do take up battery reserve. I still have some of those lenses, and for them my K-5 IIs delivers just fine. I have the battery grip for it as well, which is also great to pack along because it can take readily-available lithium AAs in a pinch if I have neglected to recharge my rechargeables.

The new APS-C flagship will of course be a larger and heavier body than the KP. It should have room for everything, I would expect.

[rogerstg]

Using the back display means I would have to take the camera off the target, adjust settings, then go back to the target.

I've become adept at flipping the back screen up with my pinky while maintaining focus on the target. It's second nature for me.