Pentax K-3: likes and dislikes??

Hello everyone,

Hope you are well and having a great day.

I've got a Pentax K-3 to play with for the next couple weeks and I wanted to write a short review about it. I've got the 50-135mm f/2.8 and the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 with it. Since this is my very first time with a Pentax camera, I was wondering if I can ask you all about how you find the camera. The advantages of it and the shortcomings compared to the competitions. I know, it is an old camera, but in many countries they are still a viable choice and in a decent budget.

So please do share what you like and do not like about this camera, and / or the lenses above.

I'd greatly appreciate your input. Many thanks and have a lovely day.

Manzur Fahim wrote:

Hello everyone,

Hope you are well and having a great day.

I've got a Pentax K-3 to play with for the next couple weeks and I wanted to write a short review about it. I've got the 50-135mm f/2.8 and the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 with it. Since this is my very first time with a Pentax camera, I was wondering if I can ask you all about how you find the camera. The advantages of it and the shortcomings compared to the competitions. I know, it is an old camera, but in many countries they are still a viable choice and in a decent budget.

So please do share what you like and do not like about this camera, and / or the lenses above.

I'd greatly appreciate your input. Many thanks and have a lovely day.

I had the k3 for a year and replaced it with k3ii.

Only thing I didn't like was the noise of pictures above iso 800.

Every thing else was fine. I know your photography style from Nikon forum. A tele photo lens like fa 77 mm may suits  your portraiture style.

I try to keep it simple;

The k-3 is a well thought body full of clever and useful features for photography, the ergonomics are truly wonderful with everything right under your hand, on the software side it lacks a few things compared to the more recent K-1 & K-70 (Quick menu customization ) to make it my favorite body in term of ergonomics.

The image quality is excellent, only bested by the Nikon D7200 or the Fuji xt2 (and there isn't a huge gap), the k-5 serie seems to have a little less noise but they lack the resolution of the k-3 sensor under ISO 800.

It's a quite heavy body despite it's compactness, the default battery life is behind its dslr equivalent (but only if you use the official 1800mah batteries ).

The video lack sharpness, high bitrate options, focus peaking during video, af tracking, the Digital Shake Reduction reduce video quality, and 1080p30fps isn't stellar in 2016. If you're used to shoot video fully manually the video side is okay, but don't expect to shoot it handled with autofocus.

The af is precise and fast for af-s, the coverage is correct for most dslr and acquire  focus more easily than most camera in low light. The full auto af does a good job at recognizing people. On some lenses like the sigma 30mm f/1.4 the acquisition is really random tough.

The af-c is terrible against latest Canon and nikon offerings, most of the lenses autofocus is slow and can't keep up with most subjects.

The shutter sound is superb, the 8fps are really useful in some scenarios, with fast sd cards it's a really fast and responsive camera. The only issue here are that you can't review pictures while the camera is writing them, and the camera is locked while it delete files.

The camera is full of options for raw devellopement that saved me a few times, and are pretty useful for sharing files using a wifi sd card.

I've had the k3 for several years now and it shares duty with the K-1 as my primary camera depending on the situation.  I really like the ergonomics of the camera - it just feels so solid and rugged like I could go anywhere I want with it if I have the right lenses (the DA*50-135 is about as rugged as they come).  There is a youtube video of a US soldier in Afghanistan who buries a k5 and that lens in the dry, dusty soil and then rinses the camera off in a shower without issue.  Of course this is probably more than what Pentax would recommend and way more than what I would every subject my camera to, but it does say a lot about the durability of their cameras and better lenses.

I also like Pentax's Shake Reduction - for low light social gatherings, macros or when I want to keep the ISO as low as possible, it helps a ton in getting sharper shots than if it didn't have it.  Of course this is primarily an advantage with prime lenses as most of the competition has VR built in their zoom lenses.  As a side note, I love how Pentax has been innovative in how they use their moving sensor to not only stabilize images, but offer things like moire reduction (since this camera does not have an AA filter for maximum sharpness), horizon leveling, astrotracer, and a minimal amount of shift capability (really helpful for architectural photography when using a tripod).  In later models, Pentax also uses their moving sensor for Pixel Shift resolution which uses the SR system to take 4 images that are 1 pixel away from each other to combine them for superior colors and higher resolution.  Alas, the k3 is one generation too soon to have that feature.

Another thing I really like is the Pentax user interface.  The button layout on the k3 is extremely comprehensive and has quite a bit of customization available.  The menu system, particularly combined with the Info button makes finding the commonly needed functions very easy to get to.  Even the implementation of the Hyper Program mode and the green button when in Manual mode where when you press the green button, it sets the camera to what it thinks is the optimal aperture and shutter speed so you can quickly establish a baseline.

Low light focusing is excellent on this camera - not many cameras, let alone in this price level, can focus at -3EV which is really dark.  Event photography is something where a camera with this capability is really helpful.  However, focus speed, especially with the DA*50-135, is not one of the strong points of this camera.  There are definitely faster focusing lenses, but even with those, it doesn't have the tracking ability of newer cameras.

All in all though, the Pentax K-3 is an awesome picture taking tool in most situations.  It is designed with a different philosophy than most other manufacturers which takes a little time getting used to.  But after using it and really getting to know it, I'm confident you'll find that it was designed by photographers, not just electronic engineers, to produce the best possible image using the technology that was available at the time.

As others have mentioned, it is an overall awesome tool. All things being equal, I think the 24 mp sensor is slightly superior to the earlier generation 16 mp sensor because the added detail yielded gives you more resolution even after added, careful noise reduction. Getting the best out of the sensor is trickier, and takes some practice with a quality RAW converter.

Things you don't often hear that make the K-3 especially good:

1) The built-in flash gives you a lot flexibility to do fill, avoid pTTL if desired, and pair as a controller.

2) The screw drive is faster and heavier duty than earlier designs, and the resulting AF tracking with a good telephoto lens or zoom is better than generally believed - if you set up the AF tracking and focus array properly for the specific purpose (not as easy as you might think, unfortunately).

3) The video is better than earlier Pentax cameras - by a good margin. Not pro, but certainly good enough for typical needs short of full broadcast quality. Audio using mic and phone jacks is quite good.

One downside not often mentioned:

The camera does at times suffer from very minor mirror slap or shutter vibration seen (at pixel level) on occasion from about 1/50th to 1/125th. Seems to show most at 1/80th. Not severe, but real. I tend to use my K-01 more in low light situations where I expect to be using those shutter speeds a lot. Obviously, never a mirror slap issue with that mirrorless body.

I have had the K3 and K3ii (now have the K1) and found the K3ii to be the best overall Pentax DSLR.  IQ is great and AF is just as good as K1 and it has astrotracer and pixel shift which are great features.

Dale

Not trying to be difficult, but wouldn't you want to develop the likes and dislikes yourself rather than soliciting a list? Your site looks interesting, so you should not have problem with the task, at least for the type of work you do. Just being curious.

Manzur Fahim wrote:

Hello everyone,

Hope you are well and having a great day.

I've got a Pentax K-3 to play with for the next couple weeks and I wanted to write a short review about it. I've got the 50-135mm f/2.8 and the 16-85 f/3.5-5.6 with it. Since this is my very first time with a Pentax camera, I was wondering if I can ask you all about how you find the camera. The advantages of it and the shortcomings compared to the competitions. I know, it is an old camera, but in many countries they are still a viable choice and in a decent budget.

So please do share what you like and do not like about this camera, and / or the lenses above.

I'd greatly appreciate your input. Many thanks and have a lovely day.

What I really like about my K3 is that it is easy to operate in dark conditions. The way the display pops up and shows what one needs to know is well thought out. I do a lot of shooting in sunset, early evening conditions because that is when I go out on walks with my kids/dogs/wife.

Nikon is terrible in that regard. Canon is okay. Sony is okay. Pentax is good.

Also K3 AF works down to very low light levels.

I also like that the shutter sound is very muted. Never disturbs my wife or kids.

K3 LiveView AF is usable. Not great. But much much better than my Nikon D7100 and better than my Canon 70D. It is not great LiveView AF (not like a mirrorless camera) but it is usable and I do use it with my family.

What I don't like about the K3? That my K70 has better high ISO noise characteristics. The K70 is really a standout. Try looking at the dpreview test images and compare against all the current Nikon/Canon/Fuji/Sony APS-C cameras and you will see how good the K70 is.

By the way, I have been enjoying the links to your images on the Portratis/Poeple forum. Some really nice photos there.

Thank you very much everyone. There is a lot of good points here, and I really appreciate it

Have a lovely day!

I've had mine for only a few weeks - still getting to know it.

Coming from a K-x, my early impressions:

I was initially shocked by the size and weight of the thing; the K-3 weighs almost half a pound more than my K-x, which means the K-x is much nicer to carry and handle than the K-3.

The interface - rear and top screens, menus, viewfinder, controls, are all very nice on the K-3; a decent improvement over my K-x.

I don't really need the resolution of a 24MP sensor, and the larger DNG files are going to complicate my digital life. For the way I use my photos, a sensor size of around 16MP seems about right.

Love the quiet shutter of the K-3.

Manzur Fahim wrote:

Thank you very much everyone. There is a lot of good points here, and I really appreciate it

Have a lovely day!

I have a K3 since feb 2016, and my son has one since 2014.

What we both like is:

• rugged reliable magnesium body, weather sealed
• excellent ergonomy
• very bright pentaprism viewfinder
• excellent image quality and dynamic range
• very malleable raw files, the very dark shadows can be easily recovered
• good AF-S performance, focuses fast even in very dim light and with screwdriven AF lenses
• useful TAv mode more convenient than manual mode with auto-ISO from other brands)
• three fully customizable user's modes
• AF-C works OK in the Z axis (see cons below)
• customizable jpeg engine with several very convenient custom profiles, accessible via a dedicated button
• wide offering of dedicated APS-C Pentax DA lenses, with a special mention to the outstanding "limited" primes (DA15, DA21, DA35macro, DA40, DA70), and also the three (expensive) full frame limited lenses (FA31, FA43 and FA77)
• in-body stabilization very efficient and works with any lens, even legacy 40 years old K-mount (with semi-auto AE, MF and dont need an adapter) or screwmount (idem but with adapter)
• two SD cards slots,
• 24 MP allows a lot of cropping when needed,
• convenient in-camera raw processing feature
• convenient auto HDR in-camera implementation.

What we dont really like:

• sub-par AF-C tracking when compared to Nikon or Canon offerings,
• heavy
• the two different functions of the shiftable 4 ways controller may confuse the user

You may get the impression from some of these 'dislikes'

That Nikon and Canon have fantastic tracking and Pentax has borderline unusable.

The truth is slightly different, the K3 as another responded is a competent tracking tool providing it's configured correctly and A decent fast focusing sport orientated lens is used.

It may not match the current mid level and above Nikon/Canons with decent lens attached but easily out perform consumer level bodies with kit lens and is a match for its contemporaries from any manafacturer.

Unfortunately time moves on and the k70 outperforms the older flagship in many areas.

awaldram wrote:

You may get the impression from some of these 'dislikes'

That Nikon and Canon have fantastic tracking and Pentax has borderline unusable.

The truth is slightly different, the K3 as another responded is a competent tracking tool providing it's configured correctly and A decent fast focusing sport orientated lens is used.

Nice to read your mostly positive feedback about AF-C.

Which lens have you used which is "a decent fast focusing sport orientated lens" ?

I have a K5IIs, and, the DA 70 struggles with the Z-axis

thanks,

-JF

It may not match the current mid level and above Nikon/Canons with decent lens attached but easily out perform consumer level bodies with kit lens and is a match for its contemporaries from any manafacturer.

Unfortunately time moves on and the k70 outperforms the older flagship in many areas.

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Th DA*300 isn't bad  the dfa long zooms are solid as are teh Sigma HSM offerings

TO my mind no lens sub 150mm is action sports capable due to the high relative z axis motion.

This is true for any manufacturer though very fast accurate predictive focusing may allow successful use only. The d5xx series springs to mind as bodies that may have the grunt to deliver.

Bear in mind for sports (action)

you need

1 fast focusing (start stop not end to end)

2 large subject in viewfinder (cover multiple sensors)

3 correct configuration for subject matter

If your using single point AF then you've automatically disabled 90% of the cameras predictive capability

If you subject drops in and out of sensor then no camera can predict subject movement Vs user shake without multiple sensors in play and subject covering two or more sensor at a time.

If the lens cannot stop and reverse direct faster than the subject moves than nothing will keep the subject sharp.

If you've enable more sensors than the body can process in the time the subject cross sensors boundaries again no predictive AF.

These are only a subset to my mind whats required for successful subject tracking aka action sports

jf_tea wrote:

awaldram wrote:

You may get the impression from some of these 'dislikes'

That Nikon and Canon have fantastic tracking and Pentax has borderline unusable.

The truth is slightly different, the K3 as another responded is a competent tracking tool providing it's configured correctly and A decent fast focusing sport orientated lens is used.

Nice to read your mostly positive feedback about AF-C.

Which lens have you used which is "a decent fast focusing sport orientated lens" ?

I have a K5IIs, and, the DA 70 struggles with the Z-axis

thanks,

-JF

You would never expect this to be the case in low light situations, but if you can tolerate the noise level at ISO 2000-3200 the F 70-210 (in my case the Takumar version which is identical to the Pentax version optically and mechanically) I shoot college to pro level athletics with no trouble at all. I don't even shoot at Hi fps and still get the shots I want. The screw drive on the K-3 is very clearly faster than previous models, and tracking is pretty good. I shot very little at this event, but still got a nice number of in-focus shots framed decently...

http://jamesrobins.phanfare.com/14398515#imageID=270738489

Other than the first shot (taken with the DA50 for the fun of it), all other shots with the F 70-210. The zoom is sharp enough for sports shots wide open up to about 190mm.

It may not match the current mid level and above Nikon/Canons with decent lens attached but easily out perform consumer level bodies with kit lens and is a match for its contemporaries from any manafacturer.

Unfortunately time moves on and the k70 outperforms the older flagship in many areas.

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The only shortcoming I've come across is...

After taking a picture, and now powering off, and having it slung around my neck where it sits against my chest, sometimes one of the buttons on the back will be pressed as it bounces, changing settings.  Basically, the buttons are too easy to press.