Will you buy the k3 Mark 3?

**richard0170** · 04-21-2021, 11:32 PM - **1 Like**

Have been prevaricating on a K1 or 1 ii for ages, but have been put off by the size and concerns over files sizes, to say nothing of wondering whether or not I need FF. It is a wonderful camera, but the release of the K3 iii has really made me look at my current Pentax gear (KP and K3) very hard, as I would be selling one of the cameras to help finance either a K1 or K3 iii. I have realized:-
1. I really do not want a FF camera the size of a K1
2. The KP offers the best IQ of my existing cameras but the least optimal handling, and the build quality is not as good as the K3.
3. My K3 and KP have a built in flash which I find invaluable quite often. I can live with one camera that lacks this feature, but not two. The built in flash of the K3 is better than that of the KP, and when using flash any IQ differences disappear anyway. So, bearing this in mind the camera that would have to be sold on for any upgrade would be the KP.
4. The K3 iii promises significant IQ and AF performance over both the K3 and KP, a similar build and handling of the K3 and an improved viewfinder experience. For me it seems to offer all that I could want in a DSLR, apart from the lack of flash. I really do not use the tilting KP screen very often - maybe once or twice a year, and the fact the screen does not articulate on the K3 iii means it can be noticeably larger. I would miss my K3 but not my KP if I sold one to help finance the new model.

So, my plan is to sell on my KP and quite a bit of other gear and hopefully get close to the price of the K3 iii so I can add some money to finalize a purchase. When that may be is another matter.

**Perfessor5646** · 04-22-2021, 06:21 AM - **5 Likes**

As of the 21st, there is now a pending charge from Adorama on my credit card for the K3iii.

northcoastgreg · 04-22-2021, 07:36 AM

If and when I can afford it, I will get a K-3iii. Until then, no.

troika · 04-22-2021, 08:13 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by northcoastgreg

If and when I can afford it, I will get a K-3iii. Until then, no.

So, if I'm following - When you buy one, you will have bought one, but not before.

redrockcoulee · 04-22-2021, 02:59 PM

Probably not. I just don't shoot digital enough to justify the cost. I'm satisfied with my K5iis and my wife with her K5.

Sounds like a great camera though. I'd be interested in seeing how the SC DA limited perform on it.

**caliscouser** · 04-22-2021, 09:19 PM

The AF is the main attraction for me. The touch screen and joystick are the secondary attractions.

What I really want is the K3iii internals in the KP body and I'll skip the second card slot and brighter OVF to keep the cost to say $1400.

**pukipuki** · 04-22-2021, 11:24 PM

Originally posted by caliscouser

The AF is the main attraction for me. The touch screen and joystick are the secondary attractions.

What I really want is the K3iii internals in the KP body and I'll skip the second card slot and brighter OVF to keep the cost to say $1400.

Upgrading KP with new AF and interface under new name should be on a roadmap

One cost-effective choice to refresh a successful camera. Even if it will cannibalize k3iii sale it will make sense. But could take another year to get announced.

Grimmus · 04-23-2021, 12:26 AM

Won't be an early adopter but the thing that is most important is the image quality. We need lots of people using the new kid and more data to assess this. APS-C image quality is already very, very good, if the K3-3 takes it up a notch.......happy days!

NoobOnTour · 04-23-2021, 12:29 AM

I will not buy one.
I love to read about it and look at pictures taken with it but i will stay with my kp.

**microlight** · 04-23-2021, 01:05 AM

Just saw this on the U.K. SRS website related to the pixel shift functionality: ‘With the previous model, the PENTAX K-3 Mark II, sensor shift was used for the first time to improve image resolution. This technique can now be used without a tripod with the PENTAX K-3 Mark III.’

I haven’t seen this mentioned previously so it will be great to hear about it from you first-adopters!

mtkeller · 04-23-2021, 03:31 AM

Originally posted by microlight

Just saw this on the U.K. SRS website related to the pixel shift functionality: ‘With the previous model, the PENTAX K-3 Mark II, sensor shift was used for the first time to improve image resolution. This technique can now be used without a tripod with the PENTAX K-3 Mark III.’

I haven’t seen this mentioned previously so it will be great to hear about it from you first-adopters!

That information is incorrect. The K-3 iii does not have handheld pixel shift. See page 82 of the manual.

**microlight** · 04-23-2021, 09:09 AM

Yes, that's what I thought. Unfortunate that a major UK distributor got it wrong.

mtkeller · 04-23-2021, 09:15 AM

Originally posted by microlight

Yes, that's what I thought. Unfortunate that a major UK distributor got it wrong.

I don't have a K-1, so I have no experience with handheld pixel shift. Maybe Pentax decided that the results weren't consistently good enough or that not enough people found it useful? I would be curious to see if it's something that could be added in a firmware update or if it would require something different in the hardware. I know that Wakashiro-san said during his CP+ conversation with one of the ambassadors who tested the camera that he was hoping to be able to add electronic shutter support via a firmware update down the road.

pathdoc · 04-23-2021, 09:43 AM

As an amateur who generally doesn't take photos of things that move very quickly if at all (and for very obvious reasons has taken far fewer photos than before since March 2020), I simply can't justify the expenditure. It doesn't add anything I need to what I've already got (K-1, K-5, *ist-DS). Now if only they'd put the *ist-DS's TTL flash protocol into it, that would be another matter.

**boriscleto** · 04-23-2021, 09:45 AM

Originally posted by mtkeller

I know that Wakashiro-san said during his CP+ conversation with one of the ambassadors who tested the camera that he was hoping to be able to add electronic shutter support via a firmware update down the road.

IIRC Wakashiro-san was asked about it and he was evasive...

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04-21-2021, 11:32 PM - 1 Like	#361
richard0170 Site Supporter Join Date: Feb 2017 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,034	Have been prevaricating on a K1 or 1 ii for ages, but have been put off by the size and concerns over files sizes, to say nothing of wondering whether or not I need FF. It is a wonderful camera, but the release of the K3 iii has really made me look at my current Pentax gear (KP and K3) very hard, as I would be selling one of the cameras to help finance either a K1 or K3 iii. I have realized:- 1. I really do not want a FF camera the size of a K1 2. The KP offers the best IQ of my existing cameras but the least optimal handling, and the build quality is not as good as the K3. 3. My K3 and KP have a built in flash which I find invaluable quite often. I can live with one camera that lacks this feature, but not two. The built in flash of the K3 is better than that of the KP, and when using flash any IQ differences disappear anyway. So, bearing this in mind the camera that would have to be sold on for any upgrade would be the KP. 4. The K3 iii promises significant IQ and AF performance over both the K3 and KP, a similar build and handling of the K3 and an improved viewfinder experience. For me it seems to offer all that I could want in a DSLR, apart from the lack of flash. I really do not use the tilting KP screen very often - maybe once or twice a year, and the fact the screen does not articulate on the K3 iii means it can be noticeably larger. I would miss my K3 but not my KP if I sold one to help finance the new model. So, my plan is to sell on my KP and quite a bit of other gear and hopefully get close to the price of the K3 iii so I can add some money to finalize a purchase. When that may be is another matter.

04-22-2021, 06:21 AM - 5 Likes	#362
Perfessor5646 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2018 Location: Louisville, KY Photos: Albums Posts: 605	As of the 21st, there is now a pending charge from Adorama on my credit card for the K3iii.

04-22-2021, 07:36 AM	#363
northcoastgreg Pentaxian Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Northern Michigan Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,175	If and when I can afford it, I will get a K-3iii. Until then, no.

04-22-2021, 08:13 AM - 1 Like	#364
troika Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Seattle, WA USA Posts: 1,753	Originally posted by northcoastgreg If and when I can afford it, I will get a K-3iii. Until then, no. So, if I'm following - When you buy one, you will have bought one, but not before.

04-22-2021, 02:59 PM	#365
redrockcoulee Pentaxian Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Medicine Hat Posts: 2,306	Probably not. I just don't shoot digital enough to justify the cost. I'm satisfied with my K5iis and my wife with her K5. Sounds like a great camera though. I'd be interested in seeing how the SC DA limited perform on it.

04-22-2021, 09:19 PM	#366
caliscouser Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: SF Bay Area, CA Photos: Albums Posts: 1,037	The AF is the main attraction for me. The touch screen and joystick are the secondary attractions. What I really want is the K3iii internals in the KP body and I'll skip the second card slot and brighter OVF to keep the cost to say $1400.

04-22-2021, 11:24 PM	#367
pukipuki Site Supporter Join Date: May 2014 Location: WA Photos: Gallery Posts: 235	Originally posted by caliscouser The AF is the main attraction for me. The touch screen and joystick are the secondary attractions. What I really want is the K3iii internals in the KP body and I'll skip the second card slot and brighter OVF to keep the cost to say $1400. Upgrading KP with new AF and interface under new name should be on a roadmap One cost-effective choice to refresh a successful camera. Even if it will cannibalize k3iii sale it will make sense. But could take another year to get announced.

04-23-2021, 12:26 AM	#368
Grimmus Pentaxian Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Newcastle (Aust.) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 348	Won't be an early adopter but the thing that is most important is the image quality. We need lots of people using the new kid and more data to assess this. APS-C image quality is already very, very good, if the K3-3 takes it up a notch.......happy days!

04-23-2021, 12:29 AM	#369
NoobOnTour Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: Troisdorf Posts: 298	I will not buy one. I love to read about it and look at pictures taken with it but i will stay with my kp.

04-23-2021, 01:05 AM	#370
microlight Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,129	Just saw this on the U.K. SRS website related to the pixel shift functionality: ‘With the previous model, the PENTAX K-3 Mark II, sensor shift was used for the first time to improve image resolution. This technique can now be used without a tripod with the PENTAX K-3 Mark III.’ I haven’t seen this mentioned previously so it will be great to hear about it from you first-adopters!

04-23-2021, 03:31 AM	#371
mtkeller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Sioux City, IA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by microlight Just saw this on the U.K. SRS website related to the pixel shift functionality: ‘With the previous model, the PENTAX K-3 Mark II, sensor shift was used for the first time to improve image resolution. This technique can now be used without a tripod with the PENTAX K-3 Mark III.’ I haven’t seen this mentioned previously so it will be great to hear about it from you first-adopters! That information is incorrect. The K-3 iii does not have handheld pixel shift. See page 82 of the manual.

04-23-2021, 09:09 AM	#372
microlight Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 2,129	Yes, that's what I thought. Unfortunate that a major UK distributor got it wrong.

04-23-2021, 09:15 AM	#373
mtkeller Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2019 Location: Sioux City, IA Photos: Gallery Posts: 938	Originally posted by microlight Yes, that's what I thought. Unfortunate that a major UK distributor got it wrong. I don't have a K-1, so I have no experience with handheld pixel shift. Maybe Pentax decided that the results weren't consistently good enough or that not enough people found it useful? I would be curious to see if it's something that could be added in a firmware update or if it would require something different in the hardware. I know that Wakashiro-san said during his CP+ conversation with one of the ambassadors who tested the camera that he was hoping to be able to add electronic shutter support via a firmware update down the road.

04-23-2021, 09:43 AM	#374
pathdoc Pentaxian Join Date: Mar 2015 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 6,381	As an amateur who generally doesn't take photos of things that move very quickly if at all (and for very obvious reasons has taken far fewer photos than before since March 2020), I simply can't justify the expenditure. It doesn't add anything I need to what I've already got (K-1, K-5, ist-DS). Now if only they'd put the ist-DS's TTL flash protocol into it, that would be another matter.

04-23-2021, 09:45 AM	#375
boriscleto Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: North Syracuse, NY Photos: Gallery Posts: 16,477	Originally posted by mtkeller I know that Wakashiro-san said during his CP+ conversation with one of the ambassadors who tested the camera that he was hoping to be able to add electronic shutter support via a firmware update down the road. IIRC Wakashiro-san was asked about it and he was evasive...