[ramseybuckeye]

First, what are you using now and what is the draw to Pentax? It must be lenses drawing you in since you have not decided on a camera, so what lenses are you looking have. And as several others have asked, what are you shooting. You can get good enough with any of these cameras to be able to get you through anything, but some could be better suited. I have KPs and am quite happy with them. I shoot mostly nature (plants and wildlife) and landscapes, and do stock photos, which are mostly nature based.

Anyway depending on what your are shooting you probably need also at least one backup camera, so you can do KP and K-1 and get the best of both, or two of either.

[gatorguy]

I'll end up with the K3 III and K-1. Between the two I have all my subject interests covered: Wildlife, portrait, amateur sports, landscape. Going forward that's how Pentax sees it too from comments made in the lead-up to the K3 III release.

The K3x will be positioned as the action/wildlife line while the K1x will be the astro/landscape shooter. One won't replace the other, they'll be complementary.

[SharkyCA]

Welcome to Planet Pentax

I would personally discount the K-70 for professional use on the grounds of reliability alone, because of the possibility of aperture block failure.

After that, the choice for me would boil down to the type of photography you want to pursue for your professional work.
Travel or street - I would consider the KP (or the GR III)
Landscape or portrait - I lean toward the K-1 Mark II
Action, sports or wildlife - the new K-3 Mark III would be the go.

I don't think the added "reliability " comment was needed, just the fact "it is a low price, entry level" camera and not intended for professional purposes would have sufficed, the K-70 gets a lot of misunderstanding IMHO and probably has a similar failure rate as other brands in this price point.

Just my opinion tho Sandy.

[Sandy Hancock]

I don't think the added "reliability " comment was needed

Au contraire, mon amis.

I have nothing against the K-70 in any other regard. IQ is brilliant, the feature set is rich, and the swivel screen is uniquely useful. I have shot a commercial gig with its K-S2 predecessor, and it performed admirably on the day, but knowing what we now know, I would not rely on it again in such circumstances.

I did not intend to stir up a hornet's nest....

[DWS1]

I recommend kp, no difference in image quality compared to k1

Or the K70 for that matter. They share the same sensor. I'd give the K1 an advantage.

[Michaelina2]

Your audience defines your work and determines what's 'acceptable,' NOT you. They do not care how much work you did, or what gear/tools you used to produce that work.


If you are NOT already a FAST world class post processor, I suggest you make becoming one your top priority. May I ask what software package(s) will you be using to produce your finished work?

Buy the cheapest best camera paired to a decent fixed focal length lens you can find (used is OK, too... say, K-5 IIs+DA 40 Limited lens).


Get out and shoot every day for a year, then post your pp'd images to Flickr (one per day for 365 days). Every composition MUST be perfect. Every subject MUST be compelling. Do the work needed to figure that out.

Learn how to offer subtle invitations to view your work. Carefully note which of you images get page views. If at least 10% of the page views for a particular image are selected as a 'fave', consider that image a keeper.

Once that year is up, you will be able to honestly answer the question you put forward here, yourself (plus, many more important ones...)


My 2 cents... M

[DonV]

One camera is not enough to go "pro" , (whatever that is?). JMHO

Each format has its "own" use and "speciality". I think one needs a minimum of APS-c and FF; but a real pro probably needs a medium format, if a Pentax, the 645z.

If you want "video" that is a whole other ballgame.

---

Last edited by DonV; 04-26-2021 at 09:23 PM.

[mikesbike]

The KP was designed with the advanced enthusiast or pro in mind, who wants an APS-C alternative in a relatively slim, lightweight body of high-caliber build, offering easy portability for field use. Many KP owners also have the FF K-1 II. Each of the two formats have distinct advantages of their own, so which would be best if only choosing one of them depends on the kind of work you do.

[UncleVanya]

Or the K70 for that matter. They share the same sensor. I'd give the K1 an advantage.

Actually I thought that but it isn’t accurate. The KP sensor lacks the PDAF on chip that the k-70 has. So the k-70 has a very slightly smaller number of pixels and unclear additional differences in sensor and the imaging pipeline.

Specifications | PENTAX KP | RICOH IMAGING

Specifications | PENTAX K-70 | RICOH IMAGING

[Papa_Joe]

Knowing what field of professional photography would help...

This!

If you are in need of a fast camera the K-1 is to be ruled out. And fast is depending on how you work as well. While the K-1 is praised by landscape photographers and depised by those working in sports, wedding photographers have split views. Some pray it as a very ergonomic tool, some say it is still to slow when things get hectic.
It would suggest, search the internet and youtube, you get al lot of enlighting information about the K-1 especially.

Also I am a proud owner of a K-70, I would never use the camera as a pro, because the operation is mainly via the screen, which really slows you down. If you are going pro I would go for the camera with the best ergonomics which (beside the K-1) is the K-3. K-3 iii or the K-3ii would be my first choice.
Only if you really need a tiltable screen you should look at the K-1 and the KP.

[AfterPentax Mark II]

Hello fellow pentax lovers. Iam currently looking forward to my first pentax and i have come down to three finalist as you might have noticed. I wanted pentax users first hand views and considerations regarding the three pentax cameras in the title. Iam an semi pro looking to move into pro photography. Any help and guidance will be well appreciated.

Ps i do realize that a newer costlier camera will be ultimately have more then their cheaper counterparts

Apart from the lenses, if you are interested in a KP and with the suggestion of adding a grip I would say buy a KP and order it from the Ricoh webshop. As you live in Europe there is an offer for the KP that includes the grip, a Pentax bag and a memory card for the price of the body alone. It is very good camera and somebody here wrote that a pro needs double card slots, that can be true but the bottom point is that you need to buy two SD-cards. Well problem solved, you do not need to put both in a camera, just have one at hand and you can put the spare one in the grip. And two card slots, well it might be handy, but a second card slot is also an extra part that can fail. I think the KP is much more pro than most people think. It is very easy to handle. And the KP can handle all K-mount full frame and APS-C lenses. The KP has features that can be found in the K-1, but it is a lot lighter than a K-1. And at the moment this camera being discontinued the price may be right for you. I think it will be a pleasant experience for you working with the KP. A costlier camera will have other features, but the question is, do you need them. The KP is a fully fledged camera and so are the K-1 II and the K-3 III, but they are different. And in the end it is all about can you make a picture that is satisfying to you and your customer.

[D1N0]

Depends on what you want to shoot as a pro. Fast action, the K3 III will be best. For anything else the K-1 II. Nobody will take you seriously when you show up with a K-70 on a pro shoot. Of course as a professional you can tax deduct your gear so you should just get two of each (K1 II, K-3 III)

[Rondec]

As others have said, knowing the type of photography you are wanting to do would be helpful. I would say that if you are planning to do weddings then you really should get a camera with two memory slots. That's one of those "You can't reshoot" situations and so backing everything up compulsively is very important. Most other stuff you can get by with a single card slot.

The important thing actually is to sit down and develop a lens line up plan. What lenses are you going to need to go with a given camera body to do the shooting you want? In many ways, glass is more important than the camera body and figuring out what you need is going to get things started.

[aslyfox]

,. . . A costlier camera will have other features, but the question is, do you need them. The KP is a fully fledged camera and so are the K-1 II and the K-3 III, but they are different. And in the end it is all about can you make a picture that is satisfying to you and your customer. . .. .

key words indeed

[jimfellows]

It is a very vague question. It is like asking on a car forum you want top be a semi pro driver, what kind of car should I get. Are you a race car driver, a delivery truck driver an Uber driver? Let the forum know what your plans are and there are many knowledgeable friendly people here that can help.

Good Luck,

Jim