[tibbitts]

In what way is the K-70 better than the K3?

Well, most obvious is the articulating screen, although it's not exactly the largest articulating screen out there.

I don't think it's disputed that the K-70 produces less noise at higher ISOs, but then people will argue why that is, and whether the performance could be duplicated by any existing or future software, etc.

There may be other features I'm not familiar with and wouldn't use, like video. I'm not sure.

Also I would say the larger size of the K-3, even as opposed to the K-5, was disappointing to some. There seemed to be more universal enthusiasm for the K-7/K-5 body than the slightly chunkier K-3.

Clearly the K-3 is, to me, a higher-end model overall, but the long wait for upgraded features dulled its appeal - just as aperture block failure dulls the appeal of the K-70.

[othar]

Well, most obvious is the articulating screen, although it's not exactly the largest articulating screen out there.I don't think it's disputed that the K-70 produces less noise at higher ISOs, but then people will argue why that is, and whether the performance could be duplicated by any existing or future software, etc.There may be other features I'm not familiar with and wouldn't use, like video. I'm not sure.Also I would say the larger size of the K-3, even as opposed to the K-5, was disappointing to some. There seemed to be more universal enthusiasm for the K-7/K-5 body than the slightly chunkier K-3.Clearly the K-3 is, to me, a higher-end model overall, but the long wait for upgraded features dulled its appeal - just as aperture block failure dulls the appeal of the K-70.

I'll admit a articulating screen would have been nice once or twice on my K-3, but beside that only super resolution comes to mind (and built-in Wi-Fi if you need such gimicks) as an advantage for the K70 and I wouldn't give up my sturdy K-3 for those.

[tibbitts]

I'll admit a articulating screen would have been nice once or twice on my K-3, but beside that only super resolution comes to mind (and built-in Wi-Fi if you need such gimicks) as an advantage for the K70 and I wouldn't give up my sturdy K-3 for those.

I was thinking K-3 in the so-far generic sense, so including the ii model. I'm not sure pixel-shift matters as much as being able to use a higher ISO. Outdoors there always seems to be movement to defeat or at least complicated a feature like pixel shift. Even one stop matters, though, when it comes to stopping action (from wind, for example), so in the absence of mitigating evidence, I'd say that's a significant advantage for the K-70.

Wifi I don't consider a huge issue although eventually the micro-usb connection and card slot mechanism will both likely fail if used often enough for transferring photos.

As for ruggedness, I don't believe I've done anything to my K-5 bodies in the years I've had them that would have damaged a K-70. My K100 and K200 lived their lives with me without incident, except for an annoying water bubble that temporarily appeared under the non-weather-sealed K100's top LCD. And of course not having a top LCD is a disadvantage for the K-70.

[tibbitts]

admittedly, I am not a photography expert, I just post a lot

but I think there is a reason why Pentax has marketed the K 3 " family " as " flagship " cameras

and the K 70 and KP are not in that category

not to say that those are not good but I like the flagship cameras better

Well, I like having my former-flagship K-5 (even the original model), but hat doesn't mean I wouldn't trade one for a "lesser" newer model with mostly-superior features. It would depend on what I wanted to use it for. Eventually "lesser" newer models eclipse the capability of former flagships, at least if the manufacturer doesn't provide expected upgrades in a timely fashion. At some point, your camera can become the HMS Hood of flagships.

[geoffw]

Hi. I am about to replace my 2nd Pentax in 5 years due to issues with the electronics that are too expensive to fix. (The first one was a k-50 and the 2nd a k-70). I am a bit skittish to buy a new Pentax, but also know how expensive it is to replace my lenses if I go with another brand. Anyone has any advice? Should I worry about the quality or did I just have bad luck? Should I go up a level in price to get a more reliable body?

Agree with getting the K single figure cameras, but that said, I've a 12 year old K200d still chugging along with no issues.

[aslyfox]

. . . Eventually "lesser" newer models eclipse the capability of former flagships, at least if the manufacturer doesn't provide expected upgrades in a timely fashion. At some point, your camera can become the HMS Hood of flagships.

are you suggesting the newest member of the K 3 " family " is the HMS Hood

of course the expected price of the K 3 III is probably above the budget

[ BTW, @tibbitts quoted me before I deleted my post no problem, I had just decided to let others comment without the my post ]

[tibbitts]

are you suggesting the newest member of the K 3 " family " is the HMS Hood

of course the expected price of the K 3 III is probably above the budget

[ BTW, @tibbitts quoted me before I deleted my post no problem, I had just decided to let others comment without the my post ]

Well, the newest member of the family is the K-3ii currently, but yes, you might want to consider reversing course if you encounter a hostile D500.

[aslyfox]

Well, the newest member of the family is the K-3ii currently, but yes, you might want to consider reversing course if you encounter a hostile D500.

you don't acknowledge the existence of the K 3 III ?

Description:

The K-3 Mark III is a compact DSLR with a 26 MP APS-C size sensor. It was announced in 2020 and will become available in February of 2021 replacing the previous APS-C flagship model, the K-3 II. The physical interface of the new camera body is in several areas a complete redesign of its predecessor: . . .

Read more at: Pentax K-3 III - Pentax K-mount DSLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

boy are you a kill joy

[tibbitts]

you don't acknowledge the existence of the K 3 III ?





Read more at: Pentax K-3 III - Pentax K-mount DSLRs - Pentax Camera Reviews and Specifications

boy are you a kill joy

The Hood was also scheduled for imminent upgrades that might have enabled it to survive its fatal encounter, or at least increase the number of survivors, but events intervened and they never happened. Pentax has not even revealed any comparative performance testing results for K-3iii, and no independent reviewers have been able to do detailed testing that I'm aware of. I believe it will be released, and have mostly more/better features than the previous K3 bodies, but we all acknowledge that now-historical K-3 generations aren't going to be the only, or even primary, cameras that this new body will be compared to. Pentax in fact didn't acknowledge that any new APS flagship would ever be developed before discontinuing the K-3. So my point is only that at some point, owning a "lesser" but more modern camera becomes more desirable than owning an historical flagship.

[aslyfox]

The Hood was also scheduled for imminent upgrades that might have enabled it to survive its fatal encounter, or at least increase the number of survivors, but events intervened and they never happened. . . .

as far as I understand the historical analysis unless the HMS Hood was going to have its deck replaced with sufficient armor to survive the Bismarck's plunging vertical shell, it was doomed

as far as the camera goes, it all depends on what you want as to what is better

[reh321]

I think it’s quite fair. I am aware the k-50 is the last of the original design and I appreciate that the solenoid changed. However the k-50 should have been the last to use anything that depended on this design.

You said "The sad fact is that this issue has persisted through many models.". Two {K-30 and K-50} is not "many"; that characterization was the genesis of my "unfair" comment.
Pentax apparently began the re-design as soon as they had reason to.

[photogem]

Where are your numbers coming from?

Dealers standing behind Pentax

Also as I recall the problem got worse over time for the k30/50 series so the 70 data is hard to fully judge at this point.

One can judge very well and I can judge particular well having repaired and studied all of them!
- The K70 was introduced in June 2016, that is now 4 1/2 years ago!

- The solenoid was modified in Dezember 2015, I never ever had any K50, K-S1 or K-S2 with stuck solenoid built after that date.
(but my own K70 did and I repaired two of them, but this because one person particular approached me for that!)

- The faults with the K30 showed up about 1 year after introduction, then came the K50 and quite a few pre-Dec.2015 went dark as well.
So we have pretty good figures also here in this forum. About 2 years after the intro of the K30 there was hell about the dark-image syndrom!

Finally, not everyone wants to invest money into a broken product

you know, when I started here in this forum and stuck my neck out and wrote about the solenoid, I had many going against me, some complained in the most ridicilous ways!

And now I defend Pentax because they did to their work and I am sure that if they stay with this technology they will perfect it.
Because for a fanstastic camera even better than the K3* this technology is just perfect.

Most people just read figures and some have repaired their own Pentax, a few maybe two of them. And none to my knowledge have done all the measurements comparing the different solenoids.

And NOT ONE official place has repaired them with the white Japan Solenoid because they can't (no new or NOS solenoid made in Japan available anymore)

Anyway, nobody will invest into a broken product, no K-70 will leave the factory broken!
And with the about 2% failure rate this is just how it is, things are not perfect, nothing is perfect, can't be.

.... not everyone is comfortable doing a DIY repair, and I’m not aware of anyone offering to replace the solenoid for the $100 cost you suggest.

That was partly a suggestion to those who can do it...


*aside of built-quality and some features which I like very much,
but for picture quality the K70 beats the K3 and it has
- pixel-shift
- bulb-timer
- swivel-display
- hybrid AF in LiveView for video (which is not that important for me but useful)

and is pretty light but robust enough and has WR as well

all that for a great price, a bargain really. Aside of video and maybe AF-C no competition in the Canikonson fields.

[UncleVanya]

You make strong arguments. I won’t retract what I said but I will say you have moderated my ire to a degree. I stand by the opinion that it seems like a design flaw that they should have offered extended warranty coverage on.

[tibbitts]

You make strong arguments. I won’t retract what I said but I will say you have moderated my ire to a degree. I stand by the opinion that it seems like a design flaw that they should have offered extended warranty coverage on.

Agreed, it would have been reasonable to offer an extended warranty. If the problem had been solved to the low-single-digit range by 2018 or so, then realistically going forward from now there would be minimal cost to Pentax to up the (U.S. 1-year, at least) warranty to, say, 3 years.

[UncleVanya]

Agreed, it would have been reasonable to offer an extended warranty. If the problem had been solved to the low-single-digit range by 2018 or so, then realistically going forward from now there would be minimal cost to Pentax to up the (U.S. 1-year, at least) warranty to, say, 3 years.

And the warrant could have been limited to this specific issue like car problems sometimes are handled.