The Jury is still out on my K-1. To be honest, I do not think I will sell it. S/H prices are low, especially for Pentax kit as the owner base is small. It is by far the best camera I have ever owned and has only 3600 activations, so should (touch wood) go on for a good while yet. I also have a good selection of Pentax FF lenses including the 24-70 f/2.8 and the 100 f/2.8 macro as well as the one touch 70-210 f/4. All to good to stop being used. Again, the only downside is the weight, especially if I use the battery grip. I have printed and mounted some of my K-1 landscapes at full resolution at A2 and they look superb. Cannot do that with the K-3 or the Fuji. What I really need is a Caddy to carry my kit for me. Some hope!

I have had mine now for about seven years and was not aware there were two versions. Mine is still in mint condition and works well on both the K-1 and the K-3. Image and colour quality is superb. I had thought of trading it in favour of the Fuji 70-300 f/4-5.6 but this lens is on back order and not really as good. The only advantage is the weight saving. I have now decided to keep both the Sigma and the K-3, even though I have an X-T4. There is still something about Pentax that I am reluctant to walk away from. I also bought at the same time the 1.4x and 2x teleconverters and these are both also useable. The 2x on the K-3 needs a bean bag support as the slightest vibration looks like an earthquake, but the reach is amazing. 300x1.5x2 = 900mm equivalent. If you can find a good condition version I thoroughly recommend this lens.

https://flic.kr/p/ecE77S

I had been waiting and waiting for a FF Pentax dslr, but finally gave up and bought the K-3 Prestige. My main reason for wanting the FF option was to get better high ISO performance in respect of reduced noise. I do hope Pentax make this a priority over ultra high pixel counts. Nikon have stuck at 16 for the top model, obviously for this very reason. The D810 is pretty noisy it seems from what I have seen of test shots on reviews.

So far, I am more impressed with the K-3 than I had reasonably been expecting. It is well controlled as far as noise is concerned providing one is sensible with the ISO rating. The higher resolution does demand better lenses and it also benefits from being used on a tripod, or at least a monopod, but then again I am not quite as steady as I used to be when younger. The K-3 is a vast improvement in terms of accuracy of exposure, something I have always been at odds with on earlier Pentax dslr's, especially the K-20D. It also focuses much faster and in much lower light.

The K-3 image quality is a serious improvement on the K-5, which I still own and use occasionally. Mostly because it is more forgiving of a couple of my lenses.

I am not sure what a K-3ii would offer, except perhaps built in wi-fi.

Agreed, it is not much use without the focus tracking.

I have found that my K-5 body will power the zoom on the 28-105 f/4 lens.

I have read all of the posts here and would comment as follows:
I have owned the K10D, K20D and still own the K-7 and now the K-5. I have had a problem with the K-5's electronic horizon which is out of alighnment with the viewfinder by about three degrees of rotation. This is enough to make it totally useless. The camera has been back to Johnsons twice now to have this rectified. The second time it came back and looked to be OK, but after a day's shooting it reverted to out of alignment.

The body build quality is first class, the waterproofing is also top notch, I have used it in the pouring rain with no problems. I take all of my images in RAW (DNG) and process in ACR with CS4 and have no complaints at all about image quality. BUT I must say to get the best out of the camera you need good quality lenses. I have several Pentax film lenses, the 28-105 f/4-5.6 power zoom, the 70-210 f/4 one touch zoom and the 50mm f/1.7 autofocus lens and also the 100mm f/4 Macro. The IQ using these lenses outshines all of the other cameras.

I also have the Sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5, which is OK but not as good. The Sigma 10-20 (original) is top notch too.

Apart from the above problem, which is annoying but can be lived with, I also am concerned about the sloppy lens release button that some had had fall off (read the reports).

The higher pixel count does mean I can print a full size A3 at 300dpi and crop to print at 260 with excellent results, much better than the K-7.

All in all, a worthwhile upgrade, but I would suggest you but from the SRS shop if at all possible and check the alignment of the Electronic Horizon, as several others have had this problem, but not all. Mine will be going back yet again until it is resolved.

Have any of you had a problem with the electronic horizon not being in line with the viewfinder? Mine hasa two degree misalignment. I sent it back under warrantee with a full explanation of the probelm, but it has come back exactly the same.

Pentax are now going to send a courier to pick it up so they have another go at fixing it.

On Pentaxforum.com, several people are reporting the same fault. It seems that quality control is a bit lacking somewhere.

This is the real advantage to owning a top end dslr, you can set it up to do things the way you want them, not just how some computer guru in the factory programming the firmware thinks you should.

Good luck with your choice, I'm sure you will enjoy using it for many years to come.

If everything worked perfectly, all of the time, we would have nothing to talk about!

Some of what you say is probably correct, but you are fogetting that I have had Pentax equipment for many, many years and have a lot of associated lenses, extension tubes, flashguns and other related kit. it is not just a case of buying a Canon body. Replacing all of my lenses alone would far more than double the cost.

It is less to do with brand loyalty, more to do with being locked in. I am sure there are many who stick to one make, whatever it is, for the same reason. I am not convinced either that Canon gear is as reliable or as well made as Pentax.

Many, no most of my Pentax lenses are full frame, just two are APS-C, so a Pentax full frame 25Mp body would cost me just the price of the body. The improvement in resolution would allow cropping of bird photography for instance and the FF would improve shallow depth of field for differential focus. Otherwise, I am very content with the K-5.

Advising potential purchasers to stretch to the K-5 is an attempt to help them not wasting money perhaps on the intermediate models. it is horses for courses of course and depends greatly on ones asperations and interests. The K-7 is a fine camera, but for not a great deal more in the long run, the K-5 excels in so many ways. Just read the reviews for yourself.