[noelpolar]

I have a KP and a K3iii...... and..... it is worth considering keeping the KP if you can swing it.

I use the KP for travel and "light" shooting and the K3iii for more "focussed" shooting.

[DonV]

Fila,
If you can buy both, then do!
I'd open and use the KP, you might decide you don't "need" a K3III.

[Biff]

AA batteries are a mixed blessing, the KP has great battery life with the larger grip battery- not so much with the smaller one in the camera. I do recommend the grip.

Spending twice the price on a K3III, with features you may or may not need or like, is not something I'd recommend; by all means for such an investment try to handle both cameras.

I have both and find the KP "handier" and is more than sufficient for my photography and probably for the needs of most other non-pro or near pro photographers. JMHO
I've tried the using K3III- I really wanted to like it- and it just doesn't handle as well to me as the KP.
I voted with my $$, I have three KP bodies; I'd probably only have one if it were not a discontinued model- but I don't want to "run out".

And though the subject has been "beaten to death" I find the lack of a moveable screen on the K3 one of the main reasons I choose the KP 90+% of the time.
I don't enjoy lying on the ground or contorting myself to achieve a view of a subject- but then I'm kind of old .

Same reason I have 2 KPs. Also, like to keep the 55-300 PLM and battery grip on one for birds and quick grabs, other for street, landscapes, macro.

[Fila]

I have a KP and a K3iii...... and..... it is worth considering keeping the KP if you can swing it.
I use the KP for travel and "light" shooting and the K3iii for more "focussed" shooting.

Working over Christmas has paid off and my photo equipment is due to be replaced (my K-50 has aperture of death) so I thought of going for decent upgrade.

---------- Post added 01-16-22 at 12:11 PM ----------

Same reason I have 2 KPs. Also, like to keep the 55-300 PLM and battery grip on one for birds and quick grabs, other for street, landscapes, macro.

Pity KP is EOL

---------- Post added 01-16-22 at 12:14 PM ----------

Fila,
If you can buy both, then do!
I'd open and use the KP, you might decide you don't "need" a K3III.

True, I just prefer to return unopened box, so it can just be resold as new.
I am with all good comments about KP getting inclined to keep it.
I do have to think about lens upgrade as well ...

[Pål Jensen]

The K-3III is a completely different world than the KP. I prefer the original K-3 long before the KP.

[Fila]

Meanwhile I have got a chance to try K-3 III both outside and on basketball game and I do have mixed feelings.
It could be me of course, and the lenses I used, but I am not sure I can get from K-3 III what I was hoping for.
I will start another thread for this to get some advice.

Regrading the mixed feelings it is a bit like this YouTube review says:

You Tube

You Tube

and one of the comments on the video says:
"hi Adam I'm Pentax user since 30 years , in my wardrobe i have all the top digital bodies from Pentax , from *istD to K3II , i tried deeply the K3III deeply to see if the improvements of its AF can match my needs to make me stop to move to Sony system ( got a A7R4 6 months ago) , I'm sad to tell the competition in terms of AF is still without any chances for Pentax ...the AF of Sony is several step ahead ...Before of Sony I was using also a Nikon D500 and also that camera 5 years old is still over the K3III in AF performances.....My Pentaxians soul is not happy to tell so...but this is the honest truth. From a 2000 USD body i think we can expect more."

All of it (my yesterday's experience and "collective Internet wisdom") gives me kind of identity crisis:I do have just dead K-50 body and lenses that new cost about 1500 Euro.

Should I invest in 1500 Euro body (or 2300 Euro for two bodies) and another 1000-1500 Euro on lenses (as I planned)
Or invest my 3000-4000 Euro in something else ...
Something else to sleep on ...

[Pål Jensen]

There's nothing wrong with the K-3III's AF. There are plenty of examples on this forum. You just have to use the right lenses designed for fast AF if you want the most out of it. Eg. the AF speed of the Nikon D500 varies with a factor of at least 4 depending on what lens you use.
Besides, I do not know what these guys are shooting making them miss shots due to camera shortcomings. Unless they can show all the "award winning shots" they miss due to the camera and not the photographer, there's not much value in their opinions except as justification to buy something they want more. Most whining about camera shortcomings on internet forums is just justification of pure consumerism. Apparently a lot of people need to rationalize their wants.
BTW there's a steep learning curve involved in order to use the K-3III AF effectively.

---

Last edited by Pål Jensen; 01-16-2022 at 07:57 AM.

[aslyfox]

@fila

Can you be more specific about

What lens

What circumstances

What settings were being used

When you the K 3 III autofocus failed to meet your expectations

Perhaps someone might be able to make suggestions

[Fila]

There's nothing wrong with the K-3III's AF. There are plenty of examples on this forum. You just have to use the right lenses designed for fast AF if you want the most out of it. Eg. the AF speed of the Nikon D500 varies with a factor of at least 4 depending on what lens you use.
Besides, I do not know what these guys are shooting making them miss shots due to camera shortcomings. Unless they can show all the "award winning shots" they miss due to the camera and not the photographer, there's not much value in their opinions except as justification to buy something they want more. Most whining about camera shortcomings on internet forums is just justification of pure consumerism. Apparently a lot of people need to rationalize their wants.
BTW there's a steep learning curve involved in order to use the K-3III AF effectively.

What lenses would you advise?

[Fila]

@fila

Can you be more specific about

What lens

What circumstances

What settings were being used

When you the K 3 III autofocus failed to meet your expectations

Perhaps someone might be able to make suggestions

Indoor basketball with only fluorescent light.

I used 200mm 2.8 and 18-135mm.
At first it was full auto, then Tav, and finally full manual.
I let ISO go high (6400-8000 - in manual mode I did not manage to set it to 8000, so I let it even to be 12800)
Shutter speed was 1/250->1/500 and aperture 2.8-4.0 for 200mm, I used 18-135 briefly.

Subjects were 8-16 m far, and wide open 200mm 2.8 DOF would be really shallow (13 cm - 5 inch), so I was closing it a bit, but then my shutter speed had to be slower and I did not want to go below 1/200.

Any fast action is mostly miss rather than hit.

Any advice is really appreciated.

[aslyfox]

@fila

it would take some time but since you are thinking abougt a substantial investment I would recommend doing it if you haven't already

review the info found under this section of the forums

Pentax K-3 III - PentaxForums.com

specifically which lenses are you using

100mm 2.8 and 18-135mm.

Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

[Fila]

@fila

it would take some time but since you are thinking abougt a substantial investment I would recommend doing it if you haven't already

review the info found under this section of the forums

Pentax K-3 III - PentaxForums.com

specifically which lenses are you using


Pentax Lenses - Pentax Lens Reviews & Lens Database

Thanks, I have read as much as I had time and it seems that HD Pentax-D FA 70-210mm F4 ED SDM WR fits the bill with fast AF, 70-210 is very good range with for my needs and F4 should be enough.
70-200 F2.8 is both too expensive and too bulky.

[Sidney Porter]

In the technique section there is a sports thread. You might get some suggestions there. There are lots of examples.

But your issues sounds to be environmental with really poor lighting.

What you didn't mention is you focus technique. I use continuous, back button, center focus, with high burst shutter.

You mentioned 200mm at 8-15m away. Another option is shoot wider and crop in post

[aslyfox]

a suggestion

often the key to being successful in photographing sports seems to be anticipation of where the action will be and pre focusing on those areas

use of continuous shutter and good depth of field can be helpful

[hekokra]

k3iii is by far the better Cam.