I got this email today and thought I would share it with you folks.

Pentax K-3 II DSLR Camera Body W/AF-200FG Shoe Mount Flash/D-BG5 Battery Grip

Looks like a good deal.

[BigMackCam]

Sounds like you need a Leica. Back to basics and quality IQ

I definitely see the attraction.

I love my K-3 and K-3II, and I'm familiar with pretty much every feature. I've learned to use them - and occasionally do use them - mainly because they're there... but 99.9% of the time, all I want and need is the basic features

[following.eric]

I definitely see the attraction.

I love my K-3 and K-3II, and I'm familiar with pretty much every feature. I've learned to use them - and occasionally do use them - mainly because they're there... but 99.9% of the time, all I want and need is the basic features

Ya I agree.
Sometimes there's just too much stuff and features out there. Lens isn't sharp enough, af isn't fast enough, iso isn't good, too much noise.
I'm just happy I can practice and see results and keep trying without dumping loads of money printing. Next step is going to be film. Learn the real deal.

[monochrome]

I don't need the 6-cyl. Engine or all the fancy doodads they made me buy with my car, either.

Except when I do. My

[luftfluss]

Sounds like @BigMackCam needs a K-01...

[UserAccessDenied]

How about out some tape over the rear screen?

I've never understood the fear of having features. If you don't want to use the gps or inbuilt flash etc, you don't have to.

All I'm saying is, no one was asking for Pixel Shift or Astrotracer; a select few if that...
There are plenty of people that need faster AF and higher ISO capabilities for their work; some have even jumped ship because of it.

If they are going to invest money and time into R&D, at least focus on something that makes sense - AF system and high ISO capabilties, perhaps?

I'm fine with features.
Just don't start icing the cake before it's finished cooking...

[monochrome]

Their problem is once they develop the 86K AF sensor they have to use it in a lot of cameras before they recover the costs. They won't make AF leaps - just incremental improvements. Not enough volume.

[Qwntm]

It's not a fear of having features - certainly not in my case, at least. Rather, it's an appreciation of a streamlined, elegant, clutter-free device that does what I need it to do and little or nothing more.

Oh, and regarding the tape over the screen, no... but I rarely need or use live view, so that can go

It is kind of annoying having a GPS, Astro tracer and Pixel shift, but a 2 generation behind AF system and a 16-50 and 50-135 that need a refresh in the SDM department...

[UserAccessDenied]

Their problem is once they develop the 86K AF sensor they have to use it in a lot of cameras before they recover the costs. They won't make AF leaps - just incremental improvements. Not enough volume.

I'm not saying it's gonna be easy; and certainly not an immediate return on investment...
But they have to upgrade it eventually - they just invested in FF DSLR production, so I assume they want to be taken seriously as a DSLR option for professional photographers.

People are already looking elsewhere for better AF tracking.
I just want to see Ricoh/Pentax show some effort when it comes to improving the system. I'm not expecting a D500 runner from the KP or the K-3ii successor whenever it does come out. But it would be nice if the press release was focused on these system improvements rather than niche features that most people don't really "need" anyways.

[monochrome]

I had a K-3 and I have a K-1. The truth is the AF is perfectly competent other than predictive tracking (fast birds crossing the frame) and z-axis (fast dog coming straight at you). I shoot 'moving children' regularly with K-1 and D FA28~105 - I've NEVER missed a shot due to slow focus. I don't miss birds on feeders with SMC DA55~300 ver.1. Not to contradict those who claim Pentax AF isn't good enough for them, but I don't see it that way. I think that damned DPReview article was a terrible disservice to the K-1.

As I wrote then, if your use case is to slap a fast 70~200 zoom on a tripod and burst-shoot a weaving bicyclist riding toward you @ f/2.8 - don't buy Pentax. Otherwise AF is fine.

If I need to shoot F1 I'll get a camera suited for that.

I'm not saying it's gonna be easy; and certainly not an immediate return on investment...
But they have to upgrade it eventually - they just invested in FF DSLR production, so I assume they want to be taken seriously as a DSLR option for professional photographers.

People are already looking elsewhere for better AF tracking.
I just want to see Ricoh/Pentax show some effort when it comes to improving the system. I'm not expecting a D500 runner from the KP or the K-3ii successor whenever it does come out. But it would be nice if the press release was focused on these system improvements rather than niche features that most people don't really "need" anyways.

[UserAccessDenied]

I had a K-3 and I have a K-1. The truth is the AF is perfectly competent other than predictive tracking (fast birds crossing the frame) and z-axis (fast dog coming straight at you). I shoot 'moving children' regularly with K-1 and D FA28~105 - I've NEVER missed a shot due to slow focus. I don't miss birds on feeders with SMC DA55~300 ver.1. Not to contradict those who claim Pentax AF isn't good enough for them, but I don't see it that way. I think that damned DPReview article was a terrible disservice to the K-1.

As I wrote then, if your use case is to slap a fast 70~200 zoom on a tripod and burst-shoot a weaving bicyclist riding toward you @ f/2.8 - don't buy Pentax. Otherwise AF is fine.

If I need to shoot F1 I'll get a camera suited for that.

That's the K-1 though.
I'm talking about their APS-C line, which is certainly behind in AF tracking. Again, the K-3ii suits my needs at this moment. But when the K-1 shows improvements, and the other companies are doing laps; it'd be a shame to see the K-3ii successor fall short. That's all.

I'd be fine with K-1 level AF and ISO capabilities in a K-3 body. And if they needed to remove some "bloat" features to get us there, I think many of us APS-C shooters would be okay with that. And don't try to pack in 36mp... 24 is plenty.

[richandfleur]

I want tracking AF (eye detection for portraits and tracking for the kids sports day as they run towards me) and sensor stabilisation/focus peaking during video recording.

They led the field with video sensor stabilisation on the k-7 and k-5 cameras, flippen years ago now, but it's been absent under Ricoh since the k-01/k-30. The current video offering (including quality/bitrate) essentially hasn't changed since the k-01/k-30 specs in 2012. 5 damn years of the same old thing

[stevebrot]

Close to - close to - inventory liquidation pricing on the 'current' APSc flagship.

Ahem.

That is a very good price if one needs either accessory.


Steve

[stevebrot]

I want tracking AF (eye detection for portraits and tracking for the kids sports day as they run towards me) and sensor stabilisation/focus peaking during video recording.

You will need mirrorless for eye detect AF, so I guess Pentax is not your brand.


Steve

[richandfleur]

You will need mirrorless for eye detect AF, so I guess Pentax is not your brand.


Steve

Live view.

It's an extension of Face detect AF, which Pentax has had for quite some time now.