Pentax K1 K1ii advice

I cannot compare with the K5IIs but I will say the image quality is excellent, with the qualification that it depends of course on the lens being used. The Sigma will give excellent results BUT you should check if the mount has been modified - if so it will have a chamfered edge; the original mount rubbed against the camera body overhang leaving a very slight mark.

You are comparing an APS-C sensor against an FF one so the subject will appear smaller, the APS-C crop in the K1/K1.II will only use about 16mp of the 36mp available so about the same as your K5:IIs which could be significant for wildlife shots. If wildlife is your main interest then maybe an APS-C body with a 24mp sensor like the K3 might serve you better, with the added bonus that it will take a teleconverter. However the K1/K1.II has better sensitivity meaning you can push the ISO up a bit and recovery of details from shadow areas is amazing so in poor light it will perform best. If you can get close enough to your subject the full frame option will amaze you with its sharpness and detail.

As for tracking I cannot compare, but the few times I have used it the results are ok, it’s really down to technique. However if wildlife is your primary subject matter then the forthcoming K3.III looks more promising with a 26.2 mp APS-C sensor and much improved focusing, depending of course on what it will cost.

I sold my K-5IIs (always said I would keep it no matter what as the IQ was outstanding IMO) a few months after buying the K-1 because in crop mode it basically IS a 15mp K-5IIs with a few more toys (Astrotracer, pixel shift, slightly better autofocus etc) plus you get the added bonus of full frame (superb IQ) at the turn of a knob..

Unfortunately full frame is where the K-1 falls down if you do birds in flight, airshows and certain wildlife because although the autofocus and tracking are marginally better than previous models the buffer and fps are truly terrible so I normally end up putting it into crop mode where they both improve somewhat ... but then if what you do 99% of the time is fast moving subjects you may as well keep the K-5IIs (or move over to another make).

Given what you are shooting personally I would wait for the K-3III or if that turns out to be too much money a used K-3II.

Thanks for the very frank and helpful reply. I wonder have you or anyone had experience using a K3ii for birds in flight if so how good is its AF when tracking a bird?

All the below were shot with a K3ii using a sigma 100-300 F4 lens. birds increase in size as you scroll down

Its certainly possible to get decent bird in flight images, the larger the bird the better / easier it is, and you'll probably not get as many keepers as a Canikon shooter, and your overall technique has to be pretty good, back button focusing is a good tool to use.

A few with my K-3II when I had it ... but as Chris said with Pentax a lot of it is technique (along with a bit of luck). I have to say though, when shooting anything panning left to right Pentax isn't too bad at all, the letdown is anything coming towards you which you can pretty much give up on after the first shot.

I recently purchased a 7D MKII for just this purpose though, it is a lot easier.

150-450mm


Tern with Fish 2 by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

Sigma 50-500mm OS


White Egret by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

And just to show the K-1 can do it ... (both with 150-450mm)


Red Kite - Llanddeusant Llangadog by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr


Ukrainian Air Force Su-27P1M Flanker 58 by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

I also agree with Mike, although I'd say skill rather than luck

Once the technique is obtained, mastering takes time and patience as well as plenty of lost images, its transferable across all Pentax models as well as other manufacturers, and I agree head on shots are more difficult, not impossible but therefore more pleasing when you do get it spot on.

The following images are K1 ( dragonfly + Hawk ( Aircraft ) and the incoming goose head on ) the K5ii the predecessor to the K3 ( Eurasian Eagle Owl ) and the bee in flight was with a 645z
















For me, getting the best from the equipment and myself is the challenge and the pleasure not necessarily how easy it is, there's compromises with any kit you choose.

All of these would have use back button focussing ( BBF )

Why have a dragonfly moving away when you can have one flying towards you though

K-3II and Sigma 50-500mm OS


Southern Hawker Dragonfly - Blashford Lakes by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

K-1 and 150-450mm


Dragonflys by Mike.Pursey, on Flickr

Seriously though, I sound very anti Pentax sometimes but at the end of the day I much prefer the files from my Pentax gear and it's what I take out with me 90% of the time ... just wish it was 100%

I'm impress that gives me inspiration to look more towards a K3 probably a good second hand K3ii as that would be more in my price range. You have a knack with dragon flies that I haven't mastered yet. They move too erratically for me. New Year's Resolution. Must practice more.

First thing I do with a new camera is turn off everything that involves some sort of in camera processing because it slows down fps/af speed/read/write speed. Personally I think ISO 6400 is pushing any crop body, infact my K-1 is limited to 6400 except on rare occasions.

I have found the latest noise reduction programmes such as topaz and DXO (which I use for my processing) can help a lot with noise these days.

Enjoy your K-3II though, you will find it far better than the K-5 although it's a shame about the K-3 (III) although not entirely unexpected.

Agree with Mike-P as above, I use the plug in from Nik collection for cleaning up noise

I've run my K3ii @ ISO 3200 fairly often particularly with fast moving jets, the files are pretty good and do clean up in post, I though I'd run it higher but cant find any examples and again all in camera processing is turned off for the same reasons as Mike-P