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Pentax K3 flagship announced

I think it's a fantastic camera from everything I see, but I am not going to be first. It's just not the body for me, but I really admire how well it looks on capability and as usual- Pentax ergonomics.

Hopefully Jim Radcliff will go nuts with it :)

One interesting question: I look at the size of the EM1 and this camera (or K-5ii) and... they are pretty close.

- Ricardo
In time... in time... I like what I have read about the K3 so far. The only thing that might be for a bit of concern on my part is the possiblity that the sensor does not perform well during long exposures. I hope the Pentax engineers are better than the Nikon guys.

Everything else looks good.. huge feature set and I already have the glass. The upgrade from the original K5 to the K5IIs was great. Love the IIs and hope that the K3 will be even better in every respect.
 

seakayaker

Active member
Jim, can you provide any more thought regarding your concern with the sensor used in the K3 and long exposures?

Thanks, Dan
 
Jim, can you provide any more thought regarding your concern with the sensor used in the K3 and long exposures?

Thanks, Dan
I've read some threads that said that the Nikon using this sensor had issues with noise and banding on long exposures... take it with a grain of salt... bottom line is that noise can be dealt with in post, detail can not be created in post and that large sensor on the K3 promises detail. Detail trumps noise in this case.

And remember.. this was just a couple of random posts.. could have been posts by people who did not know what they are talking about or how to post process. It's not a deal breaker.

Also, this could be a newer sensor and let us not forget that Pentax Engineers seem to know what they are doing. I am excited about this camera.
 

Jorgen Udvang

Subscriber Member
My main worry for the sensor is that I've seen it produce jagged diagonals and a somewhat "rough" output on other cameras. I generally like the output from the 16MP sensor in the K-5 as well as that in the E-M1 much more. Hopefully, Pentax has been able to solve this. The comparison to the E-M1 is fair enough, but if I could choose, I would have both. One is smaller, one has an optical viewfinder.
 

seakayaker

Active member
Thanks Jim for the response.

I am excited about the K3 as well. The K5IIs is a sweet camera and is a pleasure to use and a move to the K3 is something I am seriously contemplating.

. . . . . a little time and patience to insure it is not just GAS.
 
Thanks Jim for the response.

I am excited about the K3 as well. The K5IIs is a sweet camera and is a pleasure to use and a move to the K3 is something I am seriously contemplating.

. . . . . a little time and patience to insure it is not just GAS.
I was actually considering a move back to Canon with a 5D MKIII but did some serious analytical thought: Canon is not an innovator, lenses are big and costly (I only use L glass), weight, bulk, etc... and then I remembered why I sold my Canon gear and switched to the K5.

So, if everything pans out I will get the K3. Still waiting to see more output from the K3. I'm done with specs. I need reports of use and sample photos... and not just the ISO 100 shots that Pentax/Ricoh posts.. I want to see the gamut.
 

raist3d

Well-known member
Jim- just flat out curious, why were you considering a move to a 5D MKIII? Not saying it's bad or good- just wondering. For the photos I see you take seems like a K-5ii is more than good.

To me the biggest con to a 5DMKIII would be as you said- size/weight of lenses, etc. If I was into video looks like it's a good move but then at that point I would consider a GH3 or *gasp* the K-3 as the K-3 looks like it has significantly improved video. I wonder how far Pentax went with the K-3 on the video IQ (rolling shutter, compression artifacts)- the options seem to be there (framerates).

- Ricardo
 

raist3d

Well-known member
I must say, it's just amazing how WELL THOUGHT that UI of the Pentaxes is. Even the Pentax Q shares pretty much the same UI and feature set on all the options like intervalometer, make a movie or not, when to start.

- Ricardo
 
Jim- just flat out curious, why were you considering a move to a 5D MKIII? Not saying it's bad or good- just wondering. For the photos I see you take seems like a K-5ii is more than good.

To me the biggest con to a 5DMKIII would be as you said- size/weight of lenses, etc. If I was into video looks like it's a good move but then at that point I would consider a GH3 or *gasp* the K-3 as the K-3 looks like it has significantly improved video. I wonder how far Pentax went with the K-3 on the video IQ (rolling shutter, compression artifacts)- the options seem to be there (framerates).

- Ricardo
I am at the point where I hope to actually begin to make some income from my photography. Landscapes, large prints, etc. For some work I need high ISO and great detail with low noise. I have seen such from the 5D MKIII but in the end I rejected the move back to Canon. I am staying with Pentax.

The K3 has come along at a good time. It will probably be my next camera and hopefully allow me to do the work I enjoy without any compromise.

The one camera I have that I do enjoy using but do not use often is the X-Pro1. I keep debating whether to keep it but always end up deciding to keep it for those "travel very light" times... and a need for a non-threatening, non-pro looking camera.
 

Tim

Active member
I was actually considering a move back to Canon with a 5D MKIII but did some serious analytical thought: Canon is not an innovator, lenses are big and costly (I only use L glass), weight, bulk, etc... and then I remembered why I sold my Canon gear and switched to the K5.
Jim, I am curious as to what lenses you are using or have?

If I was looking to move back to a DSLR this K-3 would be high on my list. Its pretty feature packed and the size is great. I do wonder if we need built-in flashes anymore and can only wonder how much smaller it could be without one?

I'd be interested to know if it has clean HDMI output so that it could be used with a Prores hard drive recorder. Few cameras seem to have this. The video frame rates offered on the K3 are very good.

There are some cute features like the 4K movie interval frame recording mode.
 

ptomsu

Workshop Member
I am at the point where I hope to actually begin to make some income from my photography. Landscapes, large prints, etc. For some work I need high ISO and great detail with low noise. I have seen such from the 5D MKIII but in the end I rejected the move back to Canon. I am staying with Pentax.

The K3 has come along at a good time. It will probably be my next camera and hopefully allow me to do the work I enjoy without any compromise.

The one camera I have that I do enjoy using but do not use often is the X-Pro1. I keep debating whether to keep it but always end up deciding to keep it for those "travel very light" times... and a need for a non-threatening, non-pro looking camera.
I think you cannot compare and should not compare Canon 5DIII and Pentax K3 or even K5IIs - the Pentax's are better! From what I have seen in the short time I used the K5IIs is exceptional low noise behavior even at ISO 50k, the 5D3 produces lot of garbage at these high ISO - polished and cleaned images, whereas the K5IIs keeps more details. Also I think the more demanding factor than high ISO are lenses and lens quality today. And WRT lens quality the Pentax wins - even against L glass, given you are using the right Pentax lenses and are lucky to get good samples.

So for me this would be a NO-Brainer to continue with the K3, as should have same high ISO quality but with higher resolution. I loved to shoot the K5IIs (currently on sale) as I am going for m43 with EM1 because of system size. But would system size (including zooms) not matter, I would stay with Pentax K3 instead.

Might still happen that I will keep my K5IIs and add a K3 and build that as a second system for having an OVF solution with Pentax and an EVF solution with Olympus :)
 
Jim, I am curious as to what lenses you are using or have?
Sorry for the delay in response. I have the following lenses.

DA* 16-50mm
DA* 50-135mm

Limiteds
31mm
43mm
77mm

35mm Macro
18-135mm kit lens
50-200mm Kit lens

I use the DA* 16-50mm more than any other lens.. but I want something wider.
 

Knorp

Well-known member
I think you'd better be first Bart - let's face it, Silver is your colour!


by the way - it looks like a fantastic camera . . . . I might be there but for the lack of good zooms compared to µ43

all the best
Ha! That limited Silver Edition is hideous.
Mmm that said, perhaps I only do need to swap that silver battery grip :rolleyes:

Kind regards.
 
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mediumcool

Active member
I use the DA* 16-50mm more than any other lens.. but I want something wider.
Jim, I have a 12–24 f4 Pentax zoom that is/was made in association with Tokina, and it’s a beauty!

Mine cost me $500AU (eBay) from New Zealand. Pretty good at full aperture!
 
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Paratom

Well-known member
I think you cannot compare and should not compare Canon 5DIII and Pentax K3 or even K5IIs - the Pentax's are better! From what I have seen in the short time I used the K5IIs is exceptional low noise behavior even at ISO 50k, the 5D3 produces lot of garbage at these high ISO - polished and cleaned images, whereas the K5IIs keeps more details. Also I think the more demanding factor than high ISO are lenses and lens quality today. And WRT lens quality the Pentax wins - even against L glass, given you are using the right Pentax lenses and are lucky to get good samples.

So for me this would be a NO-Brainer to continue with the K3, as should have same high ISO quality but with higher resolution. I loved to shoot the K5IIs (currently on sale) as I am going for m43 with EM1 because of system size. But would system size (including zooms) not matter, I would stay with Pentax K3 instead.

Might still happen that I will keep my K5IIs and add a K3 and build that as a second system for having an OVF solution with Pentax and an EVF solution with Olympus :)
Hi Peter,
I have to disagree here. I really like the Pentax, but besides size and eventually color and low ISO pixel sharpness (of the K5IIs) I see no area where the Pentax bodies or Pentax lenses would be an advantage over Canon.
The Canon 24-70/2.8II is the best and most consistent midrange zoom I have ever used, and overall I had much more lens quality problems with Pentax than I have with Canon. Then there is the much bigger viewfinder of the 5dIII as well as much better AF.

I still have (and probably will keep)the Pentax K5IIs and Pentax has some nice, small sized lenses, but size is the main argument here (IMO).
 

mmbma

Active member
I would be so over this if it were full frame. The K3 got sandwitched between the Em1 and the A7.... bad timing to be releasing this. I really hoped Pentax would jump the curve and go full frame directly
 
Full frame is a great option for those using wide angle lenses... but for those of us who shoot wildlife and birds, or big surf... this could be the camera some of us have been waiting for.

While the Sony A77 is beautiful at 100 iso... it begins to get noisy at 200, and fine detail rendering of bird feathers is seriously compromised by 400 iso. I'm hoping the Pentax will work some magic with the same sensor... though I won't believe it until I see the results.

The K3 will have a much larger buffer and an optical viewfinder, which I'll take any day over the mediocre evf of the A77. I'm personally looking forward to seeing some image results at 100-400 iso with the Pentax.

Here's a small crop of a 100 iso file taken with the A77, Leica 400 APO 2.8 (pre modular) and the Macro R tube, taken several weeks ago in Ecuador. If the Pentax can deliver this low iso quality and improve upon the 400-800 iso results of the Sony I'm all over it.
Lawrence
 
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