Which new body?

Started my pentax journey with a K200d. Loved it and bought a couple of lenses.

After a while the upgrade bug bit hard and I bought a k5. To be completely honest I didn't see as much benefit as hoped. Yes it had video, far more pixels to play with and better low light sensitivity but I felt the pics straight from the camera were actually less pleasing to the eye.

The k5 was recently stolen and with the insurance cash arriving this week I'm not sure what to go for. Head says take the opportunity to get a k3 but given my last 'upgrade' I'm wondering whether a k5 IIs might be a better option.

Thoughts...?

A number of people say the same thing about the images from the K200 and K10 and put it down to the CCD sensor used in those bodies. The K3 and K5lls use CMOS sensors of different sorts, so I don't think you will get back to the look of your K200 images.

I went from K5's to K5lls and K3 all I can say is the K5lls gets the most use. I don't know if it's just a case of not being used to the K3 but I found the K5lls easier to use for wildlife shots with a Sigma 150-500

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Barrie
Too Old To Die Young

http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/artists/barrieforbes
https://www.flickr.com/photos/189482630@N03/

That's useful, thanks. k5IIs would save me some money too!

My input would be to think more about other features of the K3 than just image quality and here are some of the points to consider:

27 focus points, 3 of them flux array 2.8. Better control of focus and more accurate. The tracking is also far better on the K3 compared to the K5ll/s.

Three levels of AA filter which can also be bracketed too.

Duel SD card slots, really useful if you need to back up or shoot in RAW & JPEG at the same time, or assign video to one card, still images to another.

Wi FI tethered device shooting (could be very useful for wildlife?)

24 mega pixels will give you more ability to crop images without losing detail.

I have owned every Pentax camera since the K10, and the K3 is the best camera Pentax have ever made in my opinion and as a photographic tool, its a great camera that can be used for virtually anything with the right glass.

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Fletcher8.

Thanks Fletcher8, some good points there.

Focus points - I invariably use centre!

Dual SD slots sounds great.

24MP - great for cropping, less so for file size.

Decisions, decisions...

Also forgot to mention the metering on the K3 is very, very good. If you use flash P-TTL actually now works. Image wise, if the K5lls is better at higher ISO its very, very subtle and if you use Lightroom or DxO, theres virtually no difference between both cameras from my experience, especially when you print. The K3 between ISO 100 and 400 produces stunning images 24 x 36 inch prints.

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Fletcher8.

Much depends upon the type of photography you do and how you generally view those photographs you consider 'your best'.

If you print big or if you find yourself habitually cropping heavily, theK3 has a lot to recommend it. If not, you will find yourself paying more for refinements that, however desirable in themselves, are unlikely to affect your output.

It is a hard decision, and only you can decide what you want from the successor to your stolen K5 and what is (and is not) worth paying for.

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Regards, Christopher

ChristopherWheelerPhotography

+1 for the K3 metering over any previous Pentax bodies, I would also add K3 WB to the list of pro's over the prvious K body.

I find the high ISO image quality between K5's and K3 to be very subjective, I've not found a problem up to ISO 6400, the K3 does appear to have a little more noise but it's very easy to get pleasing results in pp.

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Cheers
Brian.
LBA is good for you, a Lens a day helps you work, rest and play.

I've owned K20D, K-r, K-30, K-5, K-5IIs and now K-3.
The K-3 is comfortably the best overall tool IMO.
The metering and flash exposure are superb (which I can't say about any of the K-5 variants). The grip is more comfortable, build quality is even better IMO. It handles like a dream.

I shot my first wedding on Friday with 2 x K-3 bodies (one rented) and it was a fabulous combo.

I like my K3, but sometimes, the pictures almost look too "sharp" (if there is such a thing).

For everything else, it's an outstanding camera.

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Yves (another one of those crazy Canucks)

I never had any issues with the grip or build quality on the k5 but the metering/flash point is interesting.

I am very happy with my K5 and even more so thinking I have gotten rid of the magenta tint that skewed my reds by using in camera body settings

In my opinion:
The best value/results is Pentax K-5 II.
If You are lucky enough You can buy K-5 II & limited lens instead of K-3 and basic lens.
But if You are looking forward to future, or already ready print big posters, You do like WiFi features through fluecard, than there is only one option

Is your recommendation based on you owning K5/K5II/K5IIs?

yes, i' ve had k-5, k-5II and have try k-3 and k-5IIs
k-5 II is like K-5 with better focusing in dark and with extra fast lenses like fa31, fa43 or fa77...
once you try limited you wont attach to camera other lens
k-5 costs more money and i cannot accept the think is more easy to build so Why?
k-3 is bloody fast, has excellent auto white ballance but the only reason to jump is for me fluecard.
and it costs a little bit more