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K70, KP or hold 'em for a newbie??

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Oiche said:
unhappymeal said:
Oiche said:
unhappymeal said:
Phil A Martin said:
As your a "newbie", I would not recommend used and the Knew is likely to be outside yout budget, soi I'd buy new for peace of mind and buy it now. If you wait for every possible bargain, you might never buy anything.

I have a KP and it's a fine camera but the similar specification K70 has also had very good reviews and is cheaper and lighter, It also comes with your already specified 18-50 lens and both lens and camera are weather resistent, which is ideal fo travel. So I think that's what I'd buy if I were you.
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I know you mean well, but do you realize how tiny the used Pentax market is, especially in Canada? I ended up getting my KP new at a fire sale price because the used market for any modern Pentax equipment is non-existent here. It took me ~6 months of searching the Canadian classifieds, Pentax Forums, Fred Miranda and Reddit every day to find a used DA* 300mm f/4.

My recommendation to him would be if he can wait until Black Friday, see what Amazon does with the KP. It was on for $700 CAD earlier this year, so they might do another sale to clear out the remaining inventory. If nothing happens on Black Friday, then they have the K70 + 18-55 on for $800 CAD and that'll leave him with $500 to grab a few primes or the 55-300mm PLM.
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I don't understand anybody buying from Amazon, for example, all the official Pentax dealers in the UK had the best Black-Friday through to Xmas deals and they have a 2 year warranty.

In any case I'd rather give my money to a photo shop and they look after you as well... a personal service.

I hate that Amazon company :-x
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That would be useful if your local photo shops carried Pentax. The nearest photoshop to me with a Pentax body in stock is over 200 km away.
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None of them do, I'm talking about buying online. No shop on the island of Ireland has Pentax. The closest shop Wex is a chain, I can order it online and collect it from the shop but that is just the same as getting it delivered. However I can request to trial Pentax stock, they bring it over (from England) and send it back if I don't buy it but I wouldn't put them through the hassle.

The staff are excellent and go out of their way for you no matter how little you spend. Their used gear is excellent and comes with a 1 year guarantee...

The other UK Pentax dealers are also excellent, and all business conducted online but you can phone them too and they will try their best to get you good copies of lenses etc.

I'm just explaining why you should buy from online camera shops and not generic monster corporations PLUS they always do better deals. The staff are all photographers with photography degrees etc. too so I want to keep them in a job they enjoy. 😎

And you get 2x the warranty period (2 years here). I got a replacement K-30 back in 2014 for free despite of being out of warranty over 2 years old... Try and get that kind of service with you know who.
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That sounds fantastic and mirrors my experience when I was in Denmark. However, that's not the experience I've had in Canada. While the local shops are fairly knowledgeable, most do not offer trials and have a no returns policy unless defective. Contrast that with Amazon who drops it at my doorstop within 1 business day and will accept a return, zero questions asked.
 
unhappymeal said:
Phil A Martin said:
unhappymeal said:
Phil A Martin said:
As your a "newbie", I would not recommend used and the Knew is likely to be outside yout budget, soi I'd buy new for peace of mind and buy it now. If you wait for every possible bargain, you might never buy anything.

I have a KP and it's a fine camera but the similar specification K70 has also had very good reviews and is cheaper and lighter, It also comes with your already specified 18-50 lens and both lens and camera are weather resistent, which is ideal fo travel. So I think that's what I'd buy if I were you.
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I know you mean well, but do you realize how tiny the used Pentax market is, especially in Canada?
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No I don't live in Canada but as everyone is fretting so much about potential faults, for peace of mind I thought it would be wise to buy a new one under guarantee. Although I suspect the faults are exaggerated anyway.
unhappymeal said:
I ended up getting my KP new at a fire sale price because the used market for any modern Pentax equipment is non-existent here.
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Then surely this makes my recommendation to buy new even more relevant?
unhappymeal said:
It took me ~6 months of searching the Canadian classifieds, Pentax Forums, Fred Miranda and Reddit every day to find a used DA* 300mm f/4.

My recommendation to him would be if he can wait until Black Friday, see what Amazon does with the KP. It was on for $700 CAD earlier this year, so they might do another sale to clear out the remaining inventory. If nothing happens on Black Friday, then they have the K70 + 18-55 on for $800 CAD and that'll leave him with $500 to grab a few primes or the 55-300mm PLM.
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My sincere apologies, I misread your post. I fully agree with you and would advise the original poster to go with a new body.
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No worries 👍
 
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.

The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.

IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.

Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!

Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)

Good luck :)
 
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
kypfer said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
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This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
kypfer said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
kypfer said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
kypfer said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
 
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Oiche said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Click to expand...
The KP has a choice of three proper hand grips.
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Oiche said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Oiche said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
 
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Phil A Martin said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Click to expand...
The KP has a choice of three proper hand grips.
Click to expand...
Proper? None of them any good. Weren't there people making their own and bolting them on?

Can you single handed hold a KP with a DA* 60-250 or any 1kg plus lens attached?

The KP was not designed ergonomically, more of an attempt at retro styling like old film cameras.
Phil A Martin said:
Phil A Martin said:
Phil A Martin said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Phil A Martin said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Phil A Martin said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Oiche said:
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Oiche said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Click to expand...
The KP has a choice of three proper hand grips.
Click to expand...
Proper? None of them any good. Weren't there people making their own and bolting them on?

Can you single handed hold a KP with a DA* 60-250 or any 1kg plus lens attached?

The KP was not designed ergonomically, more of an attempt at retro styling like old film cameras.
Click to expand...
Using any camera single handedly is poor technique, let alone a lens as long as a 60-250. You set unachievable goals and then condemn the camera for not being able to achieve them.

The KP is a very ergonomic camera not the same as a K5 or K3 but as good as, if not better in many ways. I imagine that the K new will combine aspects of both.

I prefer the largest grip of the three on the KP but then that is required for the battery grip which I also have attached. I have tried the smaller grips and they feel perfectly comfortable in the hand for smaller prime lenses or small zooms such as the kit zoom or the 20-40. Larger zooms, such as the 16-50 would require the larger grip one would expect.
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Oiche said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Oiche said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Phil A Martin said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Click to expand...
The KP has a choice of three proper hand grips.
Click to expand...
Proper? None of them any good. Weren't there people making their own and bolting them on?

Can you single handed hold a KP with a DA* 60-250 or any 1kg plus lens attached?

The KP was not designed ergonomically, more of an attempt at retro styling like old film cameras.
Click to expand...
Using any camera single handedly is poor technique, let alone a lens as long as a 60-250. You set unachievable goals and then condemn the camera for not being able to achieve them.
Click to expand...
I'm giving the OP information which is what the thread is about including ergonomic design which he may well care about or not, chill out it's only camera gear. 😎

Yesterday I needed to use one hand and the great grip allowed it, not unachievable whatsoever, sometimes you need to use one hand to get the photo or at least I do. 50 plus product photos on eBay right now all single handed and looking good which usually boost prices. Other times I'm holding onto the edge of a cliff photographing nesting birds with one hand using LiveView.
Phil A Martin said:
The KP is a very ergonomic camera not the same as a K5 or K3 but as good as, if not better in many ways. I imagine that the K new will combine aspects of both.
Click to expand...
K new is the conventional ergonomic Pentax design as you've seen it.

Having a great ergonomic grip makes it less likely you'll drop the camera and doesn't tire out your hands as much if using single handedly.

BTW I can't hold the DA* 60-250 with an MX or ME Super, I've tried it.
Phil A Martin said:
I prefer the largest grip of the three on the KP but then that is required for the battery grip which I also have attached. I have tried the smaller grips and they feel perfectly comfortable in the hand for smaller prime lenses or small zooms such as the kit zoom or the 20-40. Larger zooms, such as the 16-50 would require the larger grip one would expect.
Phil A Martin said:
Phil A Martin said:
Phil A Martin said:
Phil A Martin said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Phil A Martin said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Phil A Martin said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Yup i agree, the K70 replacement will take a while, as the K-new (K3-iii) will come out first, presumably just after Christmas. The K-new will be expensive however, due to its speed, and won't leave you with much of a budget for lenses, if any.

I'd probably go for the KP, 16-85 and 55-300 PLM. It might be a litle stretch on the budget, but a very sound investment over time.
 
Like a few others, I have both a K70 and a KP. If you are coming back into photography after a while I would recommend the K70. The KP is a gorgeous camera, but it is complex and very customisable. Image quality between the two seems identical. I also tend to ‘baby’ my KP more than my K70, so for landscapes (in rainy Northern UK) and travel my K70 tends to come along. I wouldn’t wait for a newer model!
 
If you're retired, you're not getting any younger. Which means no point in holding off purchase when there are excellent cameras out there. Waiting will always get you a better next gen camera, or a cheaper current gen camera, but you can't get back time lost.

I have both a K-70 and a KP. No mechanical or electrical problems with either one. I use the K-70 more often than the KP because it has a fully articulating LCD that helps in framing compositions like macros, and it has a better grip. It's also cheaper so I mind it less if I lose or damage it. I've taken it out shooting in a driving rain storm with the 18-135, with zero problems whatsoever.

Image quality for 99% of my shooting scenarios is the same. Spec wise the KP has better high ISO IQ, better construction and a better AF. Ironically, it has now become my platform of choice for shooting legacy manual focus M42 Takumar lenses. It reminds me of my beloved Asahi film cameras.
 
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synodontis said:
Oiche said:
synodontis said:
I'm looking to purchase a digital camera system - ILC system for landscape, wildlife, street photography and travel. I'd like to limit myself to 2 lenses - an allrounder like an 18-50 and a telephoto zoom in the 300mm range.
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You do know the other brands have superior auto focus right?
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Thanks Oiche - yes on board with that - in my research I was also considering at the pricepoint the Nikon5600 or the Z50 kit w/ 2 lenses - however, the weather sealing and IBIS features kind of kept me in the Pentax camp
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I have the K-70, KP and the Z50 w/2 lenses. I loved the K-70 but then had to try the KP later on and loved it more. Still, when two of my daughters asked about cameras I sent them each a K-70 bundled with the 18-135. If the K-70's should fail for some reason I'll have to replace them but I don't expect that they will.

After an injury I wanted to go lighter than the K-70 and so bought the Z50. It does have some weather sealing but not as much as is on the Pentax cameras. In regard to IBIS, Nikon has put the image stabilization in the lens instead of in the camera. Even so the lenses are very light so they meet my current requirement. However, there are presently only two lenses made expressly for the Z50. If one buys an adapter then the benefit of going light is lost somewhat. People on the Nikon forum don't hold out high hopes for additional lenses for the Z-50.

So if you have no problem with weight, the KP would be the best choice IMO. The 16-85 would be an excellent lens to accompany it, but I found myself going more often to the 18-135 which is a bit lighter and less expensive, and I was hard pressed to see that my 16-85 provided better image quality. You wouldn't be disappointment with an 18-135. You could buy the KP and 18-135 and wait until next year to add the PLM 55-300.

Lawrence
synodontis said:
synodontis said:
synodontis said:
I have no digital experience and haven't touched a camera in a long time - last camera was an Olympus OM2, way back. Film.
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Same rules apply except you expose for the highlights, blown highlights are pure white with no detail, non recoverable, same for blacks but don't look as bad in a photo.
synodontis said:
I am just retired and looking for a new hobby, willing to learn and take some on-line courses and do some shooting. I really enjoyed photography back in the day but life took over as well as many other hobbies.
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Play bowls? 😁
synodontis said:
I have absolutely NO interest in video - minus 5 on the scale.

I prefer buying new and budget is ~ 1500 Canadian.

I thought I had it figured out and was leaning towards a Pentax system - find they are a good value proposition for what I am looking for - especially with weather sealing, IBIS, lens prices/options/flexibility, I liked the K70 and also the KP seemed an option for a future-proof setup, despite being a beginner. It's technology, after all, not quantum physics. No different in my mind than learning new technology, or a new language - just apply yourself and have some fun with it.

As I've continued my research, I found a few K70 owners reporting the aperture problems that plagued the 30 and 50 - is it the Chinese solenoid?? can't get the old Japanese part which was no problem??, which has now scared me off, maybe unneccessarily.
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Very few K-70s developed aperture block, a lot less than K-30. I fixed my K-30 with a Japanese solenoid.
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Yes, so that's what I have read, still not comforting from a POV of potentially having to deal with the problem or at it's even more basic - what was the company thinking by not having the fix in from the start given the past problems??
synodontis said:
synodontis said:
Seems a little shabby though that there is not much clarity on the issue from Ricoh.

The KP seems to have more features and a different system than the K70, but the body with a 18-135 would set me back $400 more than a K70 - probably for features that I wouldn't necessarily need at the get go.
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The K-70 is incredibly feature packed, has 2x internal flash power of KP and has a fully articulated LCD screen which is why I chose it over KP. Both cameras have an equal amount of features quite daunting for a digital beginner. KP has a 3rd control wheel, I find 2 is plenty... One for shutter speed and the other for aperture. It is easy to get lost in either camera as the amount of settings compared to film is insane.
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I hear you on the complexity and yes, from my limited knowledge the 70 sure packs a lot of punch at the pricepoint.
synodontis said:
synodontis said:
Then I called a dealer and he told me that the K70, they were told by distribution, would be replaced in the next 6 months - well, that put a kibosh on my motivation immediately, don't know why he would have told me that?? - I figure the existing camera choice is still OK as there will always be the latest/greatest challenge faced with tech - but the prices would probably come down with a new launch of a K80,90???? But I also gather that this rumour has been going on for a while.
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No chance of a K-70/KP model replacement for some years if ever.
synodontis said:
Would you wait it out on the K70/KP? How much would the price drop? Is the aperture issue on the 70 overblown?? because at around $1000, the K70 with the 18-135 seems like a great setup/value.
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I've done very well with Black Friday to Xmas period. I got my K-70 for £350 GBP, BTW I use high end Pentax lenses with it... Limiteds and * lenses.
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Oiche said:
unhappymeal said:
Phil A Martin said:
As your a "newbie", I would not recommend used and the Knew is likely to be outside yout budget, soi I'd buy new for peace of mind and buy it now. If you wait for every possible bargain, you might never buy anything.

I have a KP and it's a fine camera but the similar specification K70 has also had very good reviews and is cheaper and lighter, It also comes with your already specified 18-50 lens and both lens and camera are weather resistent, which is ideal fo travel. So I think that's what I'd buy if I were you.
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I know you mean well, but do you realize how tiny the used Pentax market is, especially in Canada? I ended up getting my KP new at a fire sale price because the used market for any modern Pentax equipment is non-existent here. It took me ~6 months of searching the Canadian classifieds, Pentax Forums, Fred Miranda and Reddit every day to find a used DA* 300mm f/4.

My recommendation to him would be if he can wait until Black Friday, see what Amazon does with the KP. It was on for $700 CAD earlier this year, so they might do another sale to clear out the remaining inventory. If nothing happens on Black Friday, then they have the K70 + 18-55 on for $800 CAD and that'll leave him with $500 to grab a few primes or the 55-300mm PLM.
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I don't understand anybody buying from Amazon, for example, all the official Pentax dealers in the UK had the best Black-Friday through to Xmas deals and they have a 2 year warranty.

In any case I'd rather give my money to a photo shop and they look after you as well... a personal service.

I hate that Amazon company :-x
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Get a little older and you may appreciate Amazon a bit more. Amazon reliably puts everything I order on my porch -- as opposed to UPS delivery people who have a "sorry we missed you" note in hand to paste on the door and then escape before you can stumble down the stairs with a bad leg -- assuming you can hear them ring the bell with poor hearing. Also, UPS won't come back again. If you want your camera or lens you will have to go to a UPS center -- or, especially during Covid-19 -- let UPS ship the camera or lens back to the sender and buy it from Amazon. :-)

Lawrence
 
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Oiche said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Oiche said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Oiche said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Oiche said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
Lightroom 6 stand-alone or Lightroom subscription?

I used Lightroom 6 stand alone until I got a camera beyond their cut off date. Rather than get the subscription I got DXO Photolab 2 followed by DxO photolab 3. I never trusted the LR workflow and so from the beginning downloaded my Raw files to directories on my hard drive. I then accessed these files with LR (and now DxO), edited them and then exported them as JPEGs to a different directory on my hard drive.

I do have the Nik collection -- on both LR 6 and DxO 3, but I haven't used it very much. If the raw files are close enough, it seems, all the editing needed is a bit of diminishing of light and drawing out from the shadows, tweaking exposure sometimes. I haven't needed any NR in ages -- maybe not since my old Olympus DSLR days.

One could still buy LR 6 on Amazon the last time I checked, and LR 6 will handle both K-70 and KP, but perhaps DxO would be about the same price and it has a future without a subscription. There are other systems as well. I tried 3 or 4 others when LR 6 failed me and preferred DxO.

Lawrence
 
Lawrence, in my rural area UPS is the delivery service for Amazon. No line of blue vans on the freeway out here! They do make a couple attempts if the seller requires signature for delivery confirmation. I don’t know if Amazon also requires signature for deliveries of certain value as I don’t have experience with them for big value items. Through my free UPS Choice account I can elect to have orders held at the facility for pickup. They notify a day or two before delivery and will leave items where I have directed.
 
hikerdoc said:
Lawrence, in my rural area UPS is the delivery service for Amazon. No line of blue vans on the freeway out here! They do make a couple attempts if the seller requires signature for delivery confirmation. I don’t know if Amazon also requires signature for deliveries of certain value as I don’t have experience with them for big value items. Through my free UPS Choice account I can elect to have orders held at the facility for pickup. They notify a day or two before delivery and will leave items where I have directed.
Click to expand...
I see that Amazon lists me as a Prime member since 1999. I order quite a lot from them. Also, my porch is safe -- no porch-pirates on my street. My last significant order was about $1300 for the Z-50 plus the two kit lenses. Amazon put it on my porch without asking for a signature. I don't know if Amazon has a cutoff price or if a long time customer who has never lost anything off his porch might inspire adequate trust.

Adorama however, recently used UPS and required (without letting me know in advance) a signature for a $600 lens. UPS showed up a day prior to when they said they would deliver the lens and was gone before I could get down stairs. Also, they wouldn't come back & so I let them send it back to Adorama.

I did however buy a used Olympus OMD-EM1ii from Japan for about $900 (including tax) -- from a seller I've bought from before, temporarily forgetting that they used UPS and required a signature. The seller however gave me good information on the delivery date so I spent much of the day downstairs -- waiting. That worked but it was very tiring. In retrospect, if I had to do it over again I would have bought it new from Amazon for about $1400.

Lawrence
 
Last edited:
Oiche said:
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
Phil A Martin said:
Oiche said:
kypfer said:
I've got both the K-70 and the KP.

The KP has a few "advantages" … an extra three stops of low light sensitivity, a 1/24000 sec. shutter speed (with limitations) and the a/f system can be better with a long lens on a moving subject.
Click to expand...
-3EV to 20EV Vs 0EV to 22EV, I'm not sure what this does, the important auto focus sensitivity is the same across all 3 current cameras K-1, KP and K-70 having -3EV to 18EV.

I was photographing my K-30 yesterday (to sell it) with my K-70 and I'm still impressed the AF worked in such low light on a black body. It wouldn't have worked in reverse. The -3EV AF is brilliant.

You forgot 7FPS vs 6FPS 😁
Oiche said:
The fully-articulated screen on the K-70 has distinct advantages when shooting at some awkward angles.
Click to expand...
This swung the vote for me and the K-70 has a proper hand grip, it is great for single handed shooting which I also needed to do yesterday... product photography for eBay, hold stuff in one hand and camera in the other.
Click to expand...
The KP has a choice of three proper hand grips.
Click to expand...
Proper? None of them any good. Weren't there people making their own and bolting them on?

Can you single handed hold a KP with a DA* 60-250 or any 1kg plus lens attached?

The KP was not designed ergonomically, more of an attempt at retro styling like old film cameras.
Click to expand...
Using any camera single handedly is poor technique, let alone a lens as long as a 60-250. You set unachievable goals and then condemn the camera for not being able to achieve them.
Click to expand...
I'm giving the OP information which is what the thread is about including ergonomic design which he may well care about or not, chill out it's only camera gear. 😎

Yesterday I needed to use one hand and the great grip allowed it, not unachievable whatsoever, sometimes you need to use one hand to get the photo or at least I do. 50 plus product photos on eBay right now all single handed and looking good which usually boost prices. Other times I'm holding onto the edge of a cliff photographing nesting birds with one hand using LiveView.
Oiche said:
The KP is a very ergonomic camera not the same as a K5 or K3 but as good as, if not better in many ways. I imagine that the K new will combine aspects of both.
Click to expand...
K new is the conventional ergonomic Pentax design as you've seen it.

Having a great ergonomic grip makes it less likely you'll drop the camera and doesn't tire out your hands as much if using single handedly.

BTW I can't hold the DA* 60-250 with an MX or ME Super, I've tried it.
Oiche said:
I prefer the largest grip of the three on the KP but then that is required for the battery grip which I also have attached. I have tried the smaller grips and they feel perfectly comfortable in the hand for smaller prime lenses or small zooms such as the kit zoom or the 20-40. Larger zooms, such as the 16-50 would require the larger grip one would expect.
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
Oiche said:
IMHO, unless you need the "plus points" of the KP, the K-70 will likely give you all you need.
Click to expand...
I would still make the same choice again, I'm intending to use only K-70 for the next 10 years, not joking either and may have learnt how to use all of it by then LoL
Oiche said:
Both cameras are extensively configurable and capable, and will require quite some time dedicated to trawling through the handbook discovering all these capabilities and learning how to best take advantage of them!
Click to expand...
You can't eat an elephant all in one go, it will always be complex, I try to use it as simply as possible on manual like a film camera with extras like the timelapse modes which are great. Star streaming anybody? Again I think only Pentax does this and you can load it straight onto YouTube without any post processing.
Oiche said:
Also, don't ignore the "Digital Camera Utility" software supplied on CD. A bit quirky, again with a learning curve, but extremely capable … and free ;)
Click to expand...
Never opened it, Lightroom all the way and Nik Collection.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
I thought I'd try my KP without the battery grip and try the smaller finger grips and they were fine with smaller primes, such as the 21 ltd. In fact the 21mm ltd was good with the smallest grip and very good with the medium grip. I've not experimented with the grips before, I initially just went straight to the largest out of habit, but when I want to travel light in the future, I'll just resort to the camera, 21 and medium grip. All three are very comfortable and I'm not afraid of dropping it, that's what the strap is for.
 
synodontis said:
I'm looking to purchase a digital camera system - ILC system for landscape, wildlife, street photography and travel. I'd like to limit myself to 2 lenses - an allrounder like an 18-50 and a telephoto zoom in the 300mm range.

I have no digital experience and haven't touched a camera in a long time - last camera was an Olympus OM2, way back. Film.
Click to expand...
You come from film era and would be used to the size/weight of the FF lenses and FOV
synodontis said:
I am just retired and looking for a new hobby, willing to learn and take some on-line courses and do some shooting. I really enjoyed photography back in the day but life took over as well as many other hobbies.

I have absolutely NO interest in video - minus 5 on the scale.

I prefer buying new and budget is ~ 1500 Canadian.
Click to expand...
At the price point you mentioned, have you considered other options like K1, RP, Z5/Z6, A6 or S5.. all with better AF..

--
-- ## Thanks!
 
Jhaakas said:
synodontis said:
I'm looking to purchase a digital camera system - ILC system for landscape, wildlife, street photography and travel. I'd like to limit myself to 2 lenses - an allrounder like an 18-50 and a telephoto zoom in the 300mm range.

I have no digital experience and haven't touched a camera in a long time - last camera was an Olympus OM2, way back. Film.
Click to expand...
You come from film era and would be used to the size/weight of the FF lenses and FOV
AviPro said:
I am just retired and looking for a new hobby, willing to learn and take some on-line courses and do some shooting. I really enjoyed photography back in the day but life took over as well as many other hobbies.

I have absolutely NO interest in video - minus 5 on the scale.

I prefer buying new and budget is ~ 1500 Canadian.
Click to expand...
At the price point you mentioned, have you considered other options like K1, RP, Z5/Z6, A6 or S5.. all with better AF..
Click to expand...
The cameras in your list either exceed the OPs price point as camera-only or, if not, once you add a lens. The last two are cell phones.

I have the cameras the OP was considering and the AF seems perfectly fine for what he wants to do. The K1 for example exceeds the OPs price point, but if it didn't it's AF is only marginally better than the KPs. The KP or K70 would serve his purposes well enough

As would the Nikon Z50 which he considered as an alternate at one point: bundled with the two excellent kit lenses it would cost well under his price point. Also, the AF of the Z-50 is excellent.

However, I've been wrong before. Maybe the OP would like to try a FF camera. Let's ask him.

Lawrence
 
Last edited:
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