K-3ii upgrade to K-3iii

Same here - the K-70 is a pleasure to use.

I hope the next new APS-C top level model doesn't become any bigger and/or or heavier than the K- 70 (or KP), which seems just about right to me. A fully articulated screen also gives the best versatility, allowing the camera to be used at unusual positions while framing the image in either portrait or landscape orientation.

It matters little to me which techy features Pentax include, provided that their use is made optional, and Pentax seem pretty good at offering user customisation. For example, I dislike touch screens, so if touch control is a new feature for those who want it, it would be nice to be able to turn it off (except perhaps for live view focusing).

Philip

Hey,

I thought I would just tag on to this thread.

I was recently talking to someone who has a little more information about up and coming Pentax/Ricoh stuff and they accidentally let slip that the K3 III is coming, understandably they did not want to give any additional information.

Unfortunately, I hadn't been able to find any recent rumors on the on possible specs. etc.

I'm hoping it'll be a nice upgrade to the K3 II and backup to the K1-II.

Unfortunately it seems most people seem to know someone/have read something/seen something about a new crop sensor body which has been "coming" for the last couple of years.

Please don't take this personally but I will believe it when I actually hold one in my hands (Or Chris from SRS says he has them in stock).

Yeah, I understand. Which is way I have been trying to find any recent information on the inter-webs. I wish I could say who it was

Lets hope we actually get something solid soon

The K3 iii? In due course we'll have the K 'tu-tu'.

(I'll get my coat)

Given the K-3 was released in October 2013 and the mk ii variant 4 years ago in April 2015, we have to be honest that it's been a long time between drinks here.

Others have come in the interim of course, but the likes of the KP were always half way between the K-3 and the K-70 lines.
KP had less burst rate, slower max shutter speed, single card slot etc but picked up the newer features like pixel shift, flippy screen and WiFi etc.

Big question for me is what do you put in a new K-3 line camera in 2020?
Real improvements in tracking AF and improved video capabilities seem the obvious weaknesses that would need to be addressed.

IQ wise I've been pleased with the Pentax quality for a long time, and natural improvements like we've seen in the KP (with the accelerator chip and pixel shift etc) would build on this nicely. The K-3 is targeted more at birding/sports with it's fast burst and large buffer, so it now really needs tracking AF that can support this.

I want to replace mine, but Pentax don't offer a modern alternative currently.

Hi Rich and all,

Interesting this thread is still going. I'm just a lurker on here now as at Easter I saw SRS offers traded my K3II and lenses for a Panasonic Lumix G9 and kit lens. It is my new K3 III equivalent and I have no regrets as I now have a 100 - 300mm (200 to 600mm 35mm FOV equivalent) lens for wildlife that weighs only 500 grams and is super quick to focus and so like a Pentax to use i'm surprised no one has sued. PM me anyone who wants to discuss or visit my website for examples of use.

I do miss this excellent forum though, best wishes Bill billbarnes.co.uk

in my opinion if Ricoh are serious about cameras they would have spent more time and money on Mirrorless and not something that appears to be having diminishing returns, the DSLR camera.

Well there's plenty to choose from, even from Ricoh! A K mount option would be good however if it has an EVF. They've stated that Pentax will continue to be DSLR.

It seems that Pentax are expecting a reaction against mirrorless as people try it out and then decide that the DSLR actually has some advantages. Then a percentage may well drift back again. We shall see how it pans out.

In the meantime, there are advantages to being a smaller company and it may make it easier for Pentax to stay profitable as a specialist in DSLR.

Ultimately I expect there will be room for both.

I see this as quite the opposite unfortunately. A company needs new customers, and the proportion leaving Pentax seems larger than those joining. How does the future look in that scenario? Pentax have rather walked away from the K-3 line, and have provided a KP which to many is quite a different camera.

As I've said previously, it's almost impossible to purchase Pentax locally (for me in New Zealand at least) with Pentax not being present in any major department electronics chain (where most people purchase their new camera gear) or even the few remaining speciality camera stores. That coupled with the lack of new products and one wonders just how any new buyer is to even find or consider Pentax as part of their buying process?

Maybe just a matter of time before Ricoh sell the Pentax brand on again. Who knows what different owner might achieve? Which begs the question, who might take it on if the opportunity arose?
Having said that, I can't see why folk want new APS-C & FF cameras every year . Do people have too much spare cash lying around?
There must come a time when the optimum has been achieved within the bounds of current technology. Until something better arrives, be it a new sensor or processing chip etc. what would a new model do other than provide more of the same?
Take the K-50. wasn't it a K-30 simply with updated firmware, to the extent the K-50 firmware could be made to install on a K-30 and provide the features of the newer model? Thank goodness that doesn't happen every year, though it my keep those who want a new model annually happy!

Sigma will no longer be making K lenses so things are looking increasingly grim.

To be fair they haven't made anything in Pentax mount worth buying for years anyway. Shame as they are knocking it out of the ballpark atm but I can see why they have stopped making lenses for Pentax and at the end of the day why should anyone else support the brand when the actual owners don't seem interested.

Pentax owners can't show interest in new lenses that aren't available!
However Pentax owners certainly do show interest in the new K mount lenses from the likes of Irix and Samyang.