pentax k3 top lcd panel color pricelist

The lowest price for the Pentax K-3 III is $1,697 body only, and it is also available in a kit with 20-40mm f2.8-4 lens from $2,144 and a kit with 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 lens from $2,144.

Available from May 2015, the Pentax K-3 II was originally priced at US$1,100 in the US market, a handy 15% below list-pricing for the original K-3 at launch. As of this writing (May 2016), that has now reduced still further to just US$850. Given its enthusiast-oriented feature set, and the fact that many prospective owners will already have a selection of Pentax K-mount glass, the K-3 II is only sold body-only in this market.

If you"re looking for the best Pentax K-3 Mark III deals, you"ve come to the right place. Since its release in April 2021, the Pentax K-3 Mark III has offered latest technology to the APS-C DSLR line-up.

Proving the DSLR(opens in new tab) is still a highly capable tool, the Pentax K-3 Mark III marries contemporary imaging capabilities with the trusty and familiar design of a digital SLR. Taking the flagship spot in Pentax"s APS-C lineup, the K-3 Mark III is characterized by a 25.7MP BSI CMOS sensor, a high-density 101-point AF system, a revised pentaprism optical viewfinder, and an advanced SR II Shake Reduction System. The K-3 Mark III is also distinguished by its robust physical construction and extensive weather sealing for working in harsh weather conditions and climates.

The improved optical viewfinder provides realistic and detailed eye-level viewing while the rear 3.2" 1.62m-dot touchscreen LCD offers easy control over settings and image review. The K-3 Mark III is also benefitted by dual SD memory card(opens in new tab) slots, both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless interfaces, and a revised button design for more direct access to exposure and AF point control.Today"s best Pentax K-3 Mark III deals

Sensor:23.3 x 15.5mm APS-C CMOS | Megapixels:25.73 (6192 x 4128) | Screen:Fixed LCD touchscreen, 1,620,000 dots | Viewfinder:Optical, 100% coverage | Video:UHD 4K at 23.98p, 29.97p, Full HD 1080 at 23.98p, 29.97p, 59.94p | Size:134.5 x 103.5 x 73.5 mm | Weight (body only):820g (with battery and memory)

Distinct among DSLRs, an advanced 5-axis SR II Shake Reduction system provides 5.5 stop-effective image stabilization performance with select Pentax lenses. This in-body IS system helps to greatly reduce the appearance of camera shake when shooting handheld at slower shutter speeds, making it easier to work in more difficult lighting conditions.

Beyond controlling camera shake, the SR II mechanism also benefits stills applications by enabling a Pixel Shift Resolution feature and an AA Filter Simulator function. Pixel Shift Resolution shifts the sensor in small increments in sequential shots in order to capture full color information at each pixel site, then composites these sequential frames to produce a single image with richer detail and resolution.

-Images far cleaner at 1600 ISO and 3200 than advertised by review sites and worry- warts. K5 does remain cleaner for JPEG luma noise while both have the same chroma noise. The K5 and K01 are undeniably better images, but the K3 is still better than the competition and close to the K5 and K01.

- Sharp images when viewed at the same size as 16MP images (10x15 on your LCD or on print). I am referring to sharpness of JPEG"s WHEN JPEG ISO NR is turned off in the camera. Try it for ISO under 1600, you won"t regret it!!!

- MUCH less fringing with the K3 than the K5. I tested in really challenging conditions under bright sunlight where the K5 fringed on metal and fencing and hi contrast. The K3 was squeaky clean (AA filter off and CA removal on in the camera settings). This is something K3 advocates have yet reported that is really important to hear. It is a HUGE benefactor in my opinion and makes for great images for architectural or automotive shooters.

- USB Door is thinner and flimsier on the K3 as opposed to the K5 and does not seal as well. While in warm temps, I noted the door alters shape and becomes soft causing alarm for making a good fit in wet conditions. It should still "do the job", just not as confidently as the K5 door.

- edials are not as smooth on the K3 as the K5. They click quite audibly and cheaper in feel. But honestly, this is subjective to the user. It is important to note there is quite a bit of a difference. I also find the new 4 way buttons very annoying and too easy to bump.

- B-E-A-U-T-F-U-L display panel with excellent colors to choose from. Makes you want to just stare at the status screen. The display on the K3 is THEE Lamborghini of cameras, no doubt.

- Excellent live view shooting implementation, button placement, and functionality (minus the metering button and LCD on/off situation). Live view stays on when in live view, at all times, even when "menu diving" so when you are done with the menu , you are back into live view. With the K5, you have to turn live view on even if just change PASM modes. GREAT fix on the K3. If you shoot live view and don"t care about the metering switch or turning on and off the LCD, YOU WILL LOVE the K3.

- IF you like a bigger size, the K3 feels a bit grippier and larger with more room for bigger hands (though little room remains for fingers between the lens and right side grip - it is tight on both cameras)

Tripoding with the K3 is a disaster: almost all of the time, tripod shooters need the shooting info displayed on the back LCD and need to turn it off and on quickly. Tripoding has really become frustrating work thanks to the new K3 menu design for the LCD and Metering functions.

- For reference, on the K5, hit the info button once, displays page 1 shooting info, hit it second time shows page 2, hit it a 3rd time, back LCD is off (the level is an opted 4th screen that can be changed in the menu...very nice implementation on the K5). One button, one task, quickly achieved on the K5.

- This next complaint is quite bothersome WHEN you cannot view the top LCD. To change metering, if you need the back LCD while on a Tripod and it was off while you shoot, you have to turn the rear LCD back on using the multi-click menu navigation, push the meter button and then select in the menu what metering you want, then navigate the menu and turn off the back LCD panel again. Otherwise, click on and off your live view to change or verify the setting of your metering. You can change the metering while your scene is displayed in live view, though. The 3 way selector for the metering used to be a switch under the mode dial which was always visible to change or verify in case your lighting conditions are in a rapidly changing state. Now what WAS the metering selection switch is a useless lock for the mode dial lock itself making it a redundant and trivial invention that replaces a VERY necessary switch (the metering function). This lock mechanism is nothing less than redundant; a lock for the lock!!! Wow. The mode dial lock button was easy enough to just push to change PASM modes. Also, the new lock for the lock moves too easily back and forth and is bumped into unknown positions. Not a smart change at all.

- I find the white balance a tad bit off for Daylight White Balance on the K3 vs the K5. The K3 has a bit of a yellow cast which requires post editing to correct at times, but especially on cloudy days. The K5 maintains overall a more balanced daylight white balance in all outdoor shooting conditions. This really came as a surprise to me hearing others state differently. This may be due to subjectivity from person to person or because

of varying conditions. BUT, with all the remarks about white balance, I find it important to share with you my findings favor the K5. In fact, DP Review also agrees that JPEG white balance and color saturation is a bit skewed and put this as a CON on the conclusion page of their review of the K3. So I am not the only one noticing the white balance variations.

FOR STILL SHOOTING OR SINGLE SHOT photography, focus accuracy is WAY down. It is particularly bad when focusing at near infinity to infinity targets. The K5 Mark one will stutter sometimes, but gets you a sharp photo, the K5ii is the greatest performer and hardly stutters. The K3 jumps on it and fires, but gets only 95-98% correct focus in PDAF and 50% in CDAF/Live View. The K5 gets tack sharp focus almost all the time IF you are one to take time to compose a still shot. Honestly, I will take accuracy over speed and megapixels any day. It seems the new focus system sacrificed accuracy for speed in order to accommodate a 27 point system to utilize tracking systems for action photography. So if you enjoy stills, the K5ii (and even K01 from my experience) focus much better in all conditions for single shots. I must report there is no Front Focus Tungsten issue like there is for the K5 (which you have to adjust for FF or just use live view) For low light, I still love using the K01 the most. I have also noted RAW files in Hi ISO are cleaner for the K01 and K5 than the K3, though not drastically different.

Concerning Auto focus, you will hear compliment after compliment about "Tracking" in autofocus. Yet very few (if anyone) has really commented pinpoint accuracy and consistency for stills shooting. BUT, DP Review severely down graded the score for Auto Focus Accuracy for the K3 vs the K5 which is rated very high. In addition, Pentax Forums In Depth Review (and Administrator "Adam") has constantly remarked that the K3 really only shoots well with SDM/DC based lenses, and is more "picky" about the lenses used with it. Additionally comments in those resources also state that screw driven lenses may suffer a bit, and that 3rd party lenses may not work well.

Now, just in my experience, I tripoded the K3 with a perfectly functioning Tamron 28-75 lens that is dead accurate on my 2 K5"s. This Tamron 28-75 was calibrated February 2014 and I have shot perfectly all year with this thing. I shot a test seen with CDAF/Live view, and shots were mostly correct testing at 28mm, 40mm, 60mm, and 75mm on the K3 (in the test seen, not real world shooting which was worse). I then shot in PDAF/OVF. I did 3 shots each focal length. Results were very consistent. In PDAF the K3 focused a little Front Focus at 28mm, more FF at 40, worse at 60mm, and FF at 75 to where there was no focus at all. I tried adjusting AF fine tune, but already you can tell if in order to compensate 75mm, 28mm would be way off, and it was. When 75mm was accurate, 28mm was then Back Focused (BF). The focus changed so radically the 28-75 was completely unusable on the K3.

TO NOTE further, I tripod every test scenario, shoot the same setting 3 times, recompose between all shots, and use single point focus, not multi point in order to pinpoint a clearly obvious target. I also compare between cameras just for reference to make certain results are consistent. Every time, the K5 in CDAF was 90%+ accurate, the K3 under 50% and this is for all lenses used.

KEEP in mind, all my lenses are screw driven. My conclusion is the change to a faster motor and faster focusing system has lead to inconsistency. I have made this known to Pentax and a reply was made to me "that given the new mechanical nature of the screw drive system, it is a possibility that this may contribute to less accurate results".

The K3 has become a "fidgety" camera to use for tripod shooters. The changes from the K5/k5ii are not all that small, they are quite intrusive to the work of Tripod Shooters, but not so much sports shooters who don"t need to turn on and off the back LCD and also change metering on demand. None the less, there is some "getting used to" in a variety of settings changes. The K5 is very streamlined in this regard and the K3 more challenging and menu/multi button driven. The only real improvement from the K5 to the K3 is faster Live View shot to shot times, 27 points, a slightly faster focusing system for tracking/sports shooting, (though arguably less accurate), and a better LCD panel with a push to 24MP from 16MP which does NOT yield a better image if you view each yielding photograph in their native resolutions. The 24MP does allow for the larger print at native resolutions, just not a better looking print. Honestly, with the better focusing of the K5 for stills shooting, coupled with my efforts in post editing, I am able to get more consistent results and sharper images with the K5 than the K3.

All in all, I cannot justify the K3 for anything other than larger print sizes and improved action photography. If you are a stills shooter, the K5 is a much smoother functioning camera with shooting modes at your fingertips, quicker and easier to use functions, with more accurate focusing. Live view focusing speeds are only very slightly slower on a K5 (though buffering is very slow for shot to shot times in live view). Yet the K5 feels smoother and more accurate as opposed to the K3 which quickly jolts and leaves you to wonder if it even focused accurately. Additionally, the K3 jumps quickly and never zooms in the focus point of your subjects leaving you to guess at what was focused upon. The K5 smoothly zooms in the target and you can verify the focus point. The K3 live view advantage only lies in write times allowing near instantaneous shot to shot times, many of which will not be perfectly focused of course. It would have been in Pentax"s best interest to speed up shot to shot times of the K5 in this K3, but use the K5 focus method of more softly zooming in on a target and capturing with accuracy rather than speed. After all, who shoots sports or action in live view??? It would have made sense to design live view around those who shoot in live view; those who shoot in low light or static subjects that need to SEE and VERIFY what is being focused on and get accurate results. The cost to K5 shooters is suffering the slow live view shot to shot times due to waiting on the LCD to be viewable after each shot.

I REALLY wanted to pay some compliments to the K3. If you are coming from any camera other than a K5ii/K5iis the K3 is a very formidable camera that just feels AWESOME to use. In design (minus my 2 gripes of the metering switch and LCD on/off switching) the K3 is the ultimate camera. It feels better to hold than a K5 in my opinion, and its speed of operation is incredibly snappy and almost robotic. The larger OVF helps too, though only a little, but feels great to use. Its focusing feels decisive, but this is where all the compliments end. LESS focus accuracy is the trade off for decisive and quick focusing and is not acceptable in my book, and it broke the deal for me.

Also, the K3 froze on 2 occasions requiring me to remove and reinstall the battery. It would not even power down, it just got stuck on the status screen and did not respond. This is a very common complaint even after installing firmware updates. For this reason and for the inconsistent focusing, I returned the K3 defective. I lost sleep for 2 nights over that decision, no joking. I love Pentax, and this was just a real let down for me. Thus I found it important to report my experience and hope these issues are more expressed by others having the same problems so Pentax/Ricoh will make some changes or fix the K3. I then will jump at any chance to buy one!!!

Bottom line: the tradeoffs of the K3 to the K5 were not worth it for my style of shooting. I since have purchased a K5iis and have not looked back. I do look forward to an improved K3 someday = )

My listed price for this camera is the average of the two used K-3 II bodies that I bought; the first is a black body that had just under 4000 shots when I bought it from Japan on Ebay, and the second is the silver edition that had only 279 shots on it when I bought it also from Japan on Ebay (shipping costs and taxes included, as my total costs). After I got the black K-3 II, I was so impressed with it in so many ways that I looked for another K-3 II in mint condition on Ebay, and I came across the Silver Edition model that was hardly used and pounced on it. I had thought that the silver editions of Pentax digital cameras were too �gaudy� for me (the only such Pentax camera I�ve owned is the K1000, which was standard in top silver), but the silver coloring has really grown on me with the K-3 II. I needed another good back-up camera with lots of high-level features (including the dual card slots, GPS, Astrotracer,etc.), so getting a second K-3 II body was logical for me at under half the cost of a new K-1 II. I like the fairly long battery life of the K-3 II � important to me when doing lots of long astrophotography at night.

One curiosity for me is that Nikon digital SLR cameras have lowest ISO values of 64, with or without effective EV correcting of 1 stops(and those with ISO 64 standard go down to 32 ISO with EV correcting of 1 stop),and iPhones can be set as low as ISO 24 for photography. I used to shoot a lot of film at ISO 25 and50, and I�ve not figured out why Pentax can�t set their ISO ratings that low. Also, I�d really prefer 30 or 36 megapixels in this camera; that�s my biggest complaint about this camera, by far. What that would do in an APS-C sensor is really refine the pixel size to make them much smaller; I realize that that would cost a bunch more. But when I take photos of Saturn and Jupiter with my 500-mm f/4.5 lens, it�s not the lens that is limiting the sharpness but rather the pixel size in my K-3 II sensor. (I have not tried pixel shift with Saturn and Jupiter, but will do so at some point, out of curiosity.)

Others have commented elsewhere on the poor owner�s manuals that do a poor job explaining many things and leave some things out totally �and really are poorly organized in many ways. I�ll give one example: what is called �Interval Shooting� in the manual; the manual starts out by giving steps of how to do �Interval Shooting� without ever saying what �Interval Shooting�actually is or does (every section should have an introduction saying what the feature is that they are going to gives steps for implementation, and to say why you might want to use that particular feature and what all that feature can do for you; the manual has it backwards � or worse, confusing and problematical). Pentax/Ricoh should solicit ideas and input/writing from Pentaxians (Pentax Forum members) to write a much better manual, even if they offered to pay; the response would probably be very high, very excellent, and possibly even at the volunteer level.

Sometimes I wish that this camera could be quicker to do certain things without multiple menus steps; for example, I�d like a button to just turn off the rear LCD screen quickly and keep it off (it�s a five-button effort) when I�m doing my astrophotography. A very minor issue is that I�ve actually bounced up against1/8000 sec (the top shutter speed in the K-3 II) numerous times in bright light for certain applications, and have had to stop down when I didn�t necessarily want to. I�m still amazed that the K70 and KP cameras use a different cable-release device than all the other Pentax digital cameras (including the K-3 II and the K-1II). Since I�ll be buying the K-1 II/III eventually,it�s also a huge plus to me that the K-3 II and K-1 (II) batteries are interchangeable.

Kudos to Pentax for not giving in to having touch screens; I find that the more digital that camera screens are, the worse they are,practically. Buttons and dials are very superior to touchscreens in just about everything but smartphones (certainly incars, and on DSLRs, and in laptops/computers); smudge-prone, finicky touchscreens are just way over-done in our over-teched society today. I only really need my rear LCD screen for checking out my just-taken photos to check exposure or to change something inthe menu; most of the time, I just keep the rear LCD screen off, as I rarely use LiveView (and then primarily when I�m shooting video). I don�t want to be paying extra premium prices for some of this digital stuff in a camera; I�ll go buy a mirrorless video camera for that, thank you.

The Pentax K-3 Mark III is Ricoh"s latest high-end APS-C DSLR. It"s built around a 26MP BSI-CMOS sensor and has been redesigned from the ground up to become, on paper, the most capable, most usable K-mount camera ever made.

At the heart of the K-3 III is a new BSI CMOS APS-C sensor. Ricoh describes it as a 25MP chip, but the cameras resolution is actually 25.7MP, raising the possibility that it"s related to the one using in Fujifilm"s X-T4 (albeit with a more conventional color filter array and no pixels masked for phase detection).

One of the most significant revisions in the K-3 III is an all-new viewfinder. Building on a Pentax tradition of large, prism-type viewfinders, the K-3 III"s viewfinder is a pentaprism offering an impressive 1.05x magnification.

Viewfinder magnification figures are usually calculated with 50mm lenses, regardless of sensor size, so some of that high figure comes from the apparent magnification of the camera"s APS-C sensor. But, even taking this into account, it would be equivalent to a 0.68x magnification finder on full-frame, making it only a fraction smaller than the 0.70x finder in the Pentax K-1 models. That"s small by the standards of many mirrorless cameras, in which viewfinder size isn"t dependent on the viewing angle of the sensor, but is the largest ever fitted to an APS-C DSLR.

More than just the size, the new finder has been designed using a transparent display panel in the viewing path, rather than having the display of a separate panel projected into the finder, as was the case in previous K-3s. Ricoh says this change provides a 10% improvement in brightness over the Mark II. It also allows more flexibility in display customization.

On top of this, the camera"s continuous AF system has been completely reworked. The K-3 II uses a 307k-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor that provides the AF system with a higher-resolution view of the subject for subject recognition and tracking. A review of the predictive AF algorithms and the deep-learning-trained ability to recognize faces, eyes and subjects such as birds promises improved AF-C performance in a range of situations.

In-body stabilization is no longer the rarity it was when Pentax first introduced its Shake Reduction system, and the K-3 III"s system has been re-worked to keep up with the competition.

Essentially, it"s impossible to say whether the K-3 III makes sense for you without knowing why you"re considering it. However, what should be clear is that it"s a well-specced machine even compared with the latest mirrorless rivals, which means it"s a fair step forward from older APS-C Pentaxes.

The K-3 III iterates on the ergonomics of the exiting K-3 models, which we"ve frequently praised. We"re pleased to be able to say that the K-3 III doesn"t diverge too much from this pattern: the magnesium alloy construction maintains the impressively dense and solid feeling that its predecessors conveyed. And, of course, it offers the extensive weather-sealing Pentax cameras have become known for.

The K-3 III iterates on the "Function Dial" concept of the K-1 II. This adds an extra dial to the camera"s top plate, just forward of its rear command dial, which can be used to quickly access camera functions beyond the basic exposure controls of the two main command dials.

The K-3 III"s rear panel is a large, 3.2" 1.62M-dot LCD. It"s a fixed panel, offering no articulation or movement, but it"s touch-sensitive in all the ways that make sense in a DSLR. In live view mode it can be used to position the AF point, position the AF point and focus, or position, acquire focus and fire the shutter. It can do similar things in movie mode and these settings can be defined separately.

The K-3 III uses the same D-LI90P battery as the K-1 Mark II. This is rated to deliver 800 shots per charge, per the CIPA standard test methods. As usual, these figures don"t necessarily reflect how many shots you"ll get (it"s not uncommon to achieve double the rated figure, depending on how you shoot), but the ability to shoot without any display panels active gives the DSLR design a major advantage over mirrorless rivals.

However, the time we have spent, along with the details Ricoh has released make clear how much effort has gone into this camera. We also know that the Pentax system has a dedicated following who want to know about it, so we"ve tried to provide as much detail as is currently possible.

The K-3 III"s price can also look somewhat anachronistic. The Nikon D500 was launched for $2000 and Canon"s EOS 7D Mark II for $1800, but a long time has passed since those cameras were released. It"s no longer uncommon for full-frame cameras to be released at or below $2000 (including Ricoh"s own very impressive Pentax K-1 models).

But that still assumes that these other cameras would make appropriate substitutes for the K-3 III. If you"ve spent a decent chunk of your life and your income building up a set of good Pentax lenses, that may not be the case. For some people it"ll be better to have an improved DSLR for their K-mount lenses than to have yet another mirrorless option that would still require a whole new set of lenses or risk a sub-optimal experience with adaptors.

Perhaps the only question that matters for the K-3 Mark III is: does it offer enough of an improvement to prompt existing Pentax owners to upgrade? We can"t know for certain until we"ve tested it, but it"s clear that Ricoh has done all it can to make it a "yes", with promised improvements to just about every aspect of the camera. Maybe we"ve not yet seen the last great DSLR, after all.

Pentax has a long history of being a little different from the "big two" SLR makers, introducing features that would normally be found on cameras costing quite a bit more, such as weatherproofing and larger, pentaprism optical viewfinders. It"s also created some products that seemingly came out of left field, such as the Q7 and K-01 mirrorless cameras.

The Pentax name is now owned by Ricoh (not a company scared to try new ideas itself), which has continued the tradition of innovation, no better illustrated than with the concept of a digital SLR that has an anti-aliasing effect that can be turned on at the push of a button (Nikon recently patented a concept that accomplishes the same thing, but in a different manner). However, it hasn"t accomplished this by having the filter just drop into place. No, Pentax is using its sensor-shift image stabilizer to deliberately move the sensor during the exposure, slightly blurring the image to mimic the effects of an optical low-pass filter. Not only can this be turned on and off, Pentax is also offering two "intensities" to choose from.

The name of the camera with this breakthrough feature: the Pentax K-3. This camera takes the rugged design of the K-5 II / K-5 IIs that came before it and bumps up the resolution, improves the AF system, speeds up the processor, and enlarges the LCD and viewfinder.

At first glance, the K-3 may look like the K-5 II with a higher resolution sensor, but that"s far from the whole story. Ricoh has improved upon the K-5 II in every way, with special attention given to video recording. On the photo side, there"s the new sensor (probably from Sony), improved autofocus and metering systems, larger optical viewfinder and LCD, and of course, the selectable AA filter. Performance-wise, the K-3 shoots at 8.3 fps, up from 7.0 fps on the K-5 II.

Two features that photo and video enthusiasts will like are dual SD card slots and support for USB 3.0 (the K-3 is only the second camera to support this). Build quality remains top-notch, with the K-3 having a rugged, weatherproof body.

The biggest change to the K-3 isn"t a feature at all, but it will probably garner the most discussion. There is now a prominent "Ricoh" logo on the back of the camera, just below the LCD. Ricoh has stated that Pentax is a "brand" now, similar to "Lumix" on Panasonic cameras. We"re curious to see how the very loyal Pentax audience will react to this change. With this in mind, it"s interesting also to note that the K-3 gains the multi-area white balance feature (which aims to correct for different light sources in the same image) that we"ve seen on previous Ricohs.

One of the most interesting new features on the K-3 is its "anti-aliasing simulator". Like the K-5 IIs the camera has no anti-aliasing filter; this improves resolution, but with the trade-off of an increased risk of moiré. Pentax is using the K-3"s sensor-shift IS system to simulate the effect of having the filter.

The AA simulator works by applying "microscopic vibrations to the image sensor unit at the sub-pixel level during exposure", according to Pentax. Simply put, these tiny vibrations cause just enough blur to give the same effect as having an optical anti-aliasing filter. There are two options to choose from - Pentax calls them Mode 1 and Mode 2 - which we assume increases the "strength" of the virtual filter. Pentax says that the AA simulator is most effective when the shutter speed is under 1/1000 sec.

The long-rumored Pentax K-3 III finally announced by Pentax. The new Pentax APS-C DSLR features the ultra-popular Sony 26MP BSI CMOS sensor, being used by Fuji in almost all their cameras right now.  The camera also features 5.5 Stops of IBIS. Despite using a 26MP BSI CMOS sensor the camera still uses DSLR style new SAFOX 13 AF module 101 AF points, 25 of which are cross-type. It also offers 4K video capture at up to 30p, while recording 4k videos you get IBIS support up to 3 stops. A matching battery grip D-BG8 is among the optional accessories launched alongside the camera.

The K-3 III will come in black or silver. The Pentax K-3 II  price of $2000.  Premium Kit with D-BG8 battery grip (silver camera with battery grip) $2300.

PARSIPPANY, NJ, March 30, 2021－Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation today announced the PENTAX K-3 Mark III, the new flagship model in its APS-C format digital SLR camera series. Designed around the PENTAX Principles, the new camera offers advanced functions and outstanding imaging performance with a goal of optimizing the fun and excitement of photography in a wide variety of conditions.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III builds on the PENTAX legacy of outstanding image quality, incorporating a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with approximately 25.73 effective megapixels. By coupling this sensor with an AA (anti-aliasing)-filter-free optical design, the camera produces super-high-resolution images. A newly developed, high-performance PRIME V imaging engine and new-generation accelerator unit delivers well-defined images with minimal noise, while retaining high-resolution reproduction at all sensitivities. The PENTAX K-3 Mark III boasts a super-high sensitivity of ISO 1600000 and features a newly developed SAFOX 13 autofocus system with 101 focus sensors.

The camera’s compact, rugged body is dustproof and weather resistant, making it suitable for use in the most extreme environmental conditions. It features PENTAX’s high-performance, five-axis shake-reduction (SR) system, minimizing camera shake to deliver sharp, blur-free images. Furthering its commitment to producing the highest quality images, the PENTAX K-3 Mark III features the innovative Pixel Shift Resolution System, employing advanced super-resolution technology to capture four images of the same scene by shifting the image sensor by a single pixel for each image, then synthesize them into a single composite image.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III is equipped with user-friendly shooting functions, improved efficiency and operability. These include a high-definition 3.2-inch touch-screen LCD monitor—the first touch screen in the PENTAX K series. The screen allows intuitive operation of a variety of functions, including scrolling menu selection and image zooming during playback.

The camera also features PENTAX Real-time Scene Analysis System, supported by the latest artificial intelligence technology. It can instantly detect a subject’s face and eyes using advanced image recognition technology and makes a real-time analysis of the subject’s movement. The system assists the camera in optimizing exposure settings and improving autofocusing accuracy, assuring more accurate subject detection and more reliable scene judgment.

“The development of the PENTAX K-3 Mark III has been a longtime labor of love,” said Kaz Eguchi, president, Ricoh Imaging Americas Corporation. “At Ricoh, our goal is to develop high-quality cameras with the power to capture images that speak louder than words and inspire photographers to continue pursuing their passion for photography every day.”

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III will be available in late April at www.us.ricoh-imaging.com and can be pre-ordered at Ricoh Imaging-authorized retail outlets starting on April 6 at 5 p.m. ET for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $1,999.95.

Ricoh is also producing two limited-edition kits — the PENTAX K-3 Mark III Black Premium Kit and PENTAX K-3 Mark III Silver Premium Kit. These special packages include a camera body and battery grip (the Silver Premium Kit comes with a silver camera body and a silver battery grip that is exclusive to this package), plus an exclusive leather strap and a spare battery. The specifications of the limited-edition models are identical to those of the PENTAX K-3 Mark III. The Premium Kits will be available in late April for the manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $2,299.95.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features an optical viewfinder with a nearly 100-percent field of view and a magnification of approximately 1.05 times. A newly developed, high-refraction glass prism assures comfortable viewing with a wide field of view equivalent to that of a full-frame SLR. Also, by using a distortion-correcting optical element and optimizing the lens coatings, it delivers a clear, true-to-life viewfinder image free of distortion, with brightness improved by nearly 10 percent over the PENTAX K-3 II’s viewfinder. Incorporating a Natural Bright Matte III focusing screen — known for ease of focus during manual-focus shooting — it also delivers a sharp, clear subject image with faithful reproduction of the bokeh(defocus) effect. In addition, its transparent display lets the user monitor a wide range of operational data in the viewfinder window.

2．High-resolution images assured by approximately 25.73 effective megapixels and super-high-sensitivity photography at a top sensitivity of ISO 1600000

As part of its passion for higher image quality, PENTAX equipped the PENTAX K-3 Mark III with a back-illuminated CMOS image sensor with approximately 25.73 effective megapixels. By coupling this sensor with an AA (anti-aliasing)-filter-free optical design, the camera produces super-high-resolution images. PENTAX also renewed all key devices, including the newly developed, high-performance PRIME V imaging engine and new-generation accelerator unit to deliver well-defined images with minimal noise, while retaining high-resolution reproduction at all sensitivities — even in the super-low or super-high range. Also, by greatly improving the noise-reduction performance at high-sensitivity ranges, it boasts a top sensitivity of ISO 1600000 to extend the range of scenes that can be photographed.

The built-in SR II shake-reduction mechanism means that the PENTAX K-3 Mark III effectively minimizes camera shake and delivers sharp, blur-free images, even in camera-shake-prone conditions such as when using a telephoto lens, shooting low-light scenes without flash illumination, or photographing sunset scenes. In addition to horizontal and vertical camera shake caused by pitch and yaw, this five-axis mechanism compensates for camera shake caused by horizontal and vertical shift (often generated in macro photography) and camera shake caused by roll. It assures a compensation effect of approximately 5.5 shutter steps（CIPA standard compliant, HD PENTAX-DA 16-85mm F3.5-5.6ED DC WR、f = 85mm） — the highest level in PENTAX history — to expand the limits of handheld photography. This mechanism also provides a new Panning mode to capture sharp, clear images of slow-moving subjects.

This innovative system captures four images of the same scene by shifting the image sensor by a single pixel for each image, then synthesizes them into a single composite image. Compared to the conventional Bayer system, in which each pixel has only a single color-data unit, this system obtains all color data in each pixel and delivers super-high-resolution images with more truthful colors and much finer details than those produced by the conventional system. To make this system more useful with a wider range of scenes and subjects, the camera provides ON/OFF switching of the Motion Correction function, which automatically detects only moving elements of the image during continuous shooting and minimizes negative effects during the synthesizing process.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features an AA (anti-aliasing)-filter simulator, which effectively reduces moiré patterns to the same level as an optical AA filter, by applying microscopic vibrations to the image sensor at the sub-pixel-level during exposure. Unlike a conventional optical AA filer, this innovative, PENTAX-original simulator provides ON/FF switching and level selection to assure the optimal filter effect for a given subject or photographic condition.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features a high-definition, 3.2-inch LCD monitor with approximately 1,620,000 pixels. Incorporating touch-screen control for the first time in the PENTAX K series, this monitor provides intuitive operation of monitor functions, including menu selection and image zooming during playback. Its air-gapless construction, in which a special resin material is injected into the gap between LCD layers and a protective tempered-glass cover, effectively reduces reflections and the dispersion of light to improve visibility during outdoor shooting. The viewfinder eyepiece is designed to protrude away from the LCD monitor screen, so the user’s nose does not contact the camera body. Positioned at the bottom of the eyepiece is an eye sensor, which turns the monitor off the moment the photographer looks into the viewfinder, preventing monitor illumination from affecting visibility during shooting.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III features a newly developed SAFOX 13 phase-matching AF sensor module for dependable, high-precision autofocus operations. It has 101 focus sensors, 25 of which are cross-type sensors positioned in the middle, to assure pinpoint focus on the subject at minimum brightness levels as low as -4 EV.*** Also, by featuring a new, high-capacity RGBIr image sensor with approximately 307,000 pixels and a newly developed image-tracking algorithm, the camera also assures accurate tracking of subjects moving at varying speed or in irregular motion. A newly installed AF point selector lever allows the user to select the desired focus point more intuitively (up to 41 points).

Supported by the combination of the new, high-density RGBIr image sensor and the high-performance PRIME V imaging engine, the PENTAX Real-time Scene Analysis System instantly detects the subject’s face and eyes using the advanced image recognition technology, then makes real-time analysis of their movement. This assists the camera in optimizing exposure settings and improving autofocusing accuracy. By adopting Deep Learning**** — the latest, much-publicized artificial intelligence technology — the PENTAX K-3 Mark III assures more accurate subject detection and more reliable scene judgment.

Thanks to a newly developed mirror-driving mechanism assuring high-speed, high-accuracy control of the mirror and shutter mechanisms, and the high-performance PRIME V imaging engine that performs high-speed data transmission, the PENTAX K-3 Mark III provides high-speed drive continuous shooting — with a maximum speed of approximately 12 images per second in the AF.S mode, or approximately 11 images per second in the AF.C mode.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III’s top, bottom, front and rear panels are all made of lightweight, high-rigidity magnesium alloy. Coupled with a dustproof, weather-resistant construction with special seals applied to crucial parts of the camera body, and outstanding cold-resistant performance to ensure stable operation at -10°C, the camera is designed to be extremely durable and dependable even in harsh environmental conditions, such as when shooting in the rain, or at dust-prone or low-temperature locations. The camera also features a durable, dependable shutter unit — verified in an endurance test of 300,000 shutter-release actions — to perfect the rugged body for worry-free shooting at any location.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III captures 4K-resolution movie clips (3840 x 2160 pixels; 30p/24p frame rate) or Full HD movie clips (1920 x 1080 pixels; 60p/30p/24p frame rate) in the H-264 recording format. Equipped with a stereo microphone input terminal and headset terminal, it also allows the user to manually set the audio recording level and monitor the sound pressure level for microphone input. Thanks to quiet touch-screen control on the LCD monitor positioned on its back panel, the desired shooting function and exposure compensation level can be set without worrying about operational noise.

The PENTAX K-3 Mark III provides two wireless interface options — Bluetooth® and Wireless LAN — for connection with mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. By installing the dedicated Image Sync application in a mobile device, the user can view Live View images on a smartphone screen or capture images and change camera settings using the mobile device. This application also allows the user to transfer captured images to a mobile device and upload them to various SNS sites.

Outdoor-friendly monitor with a Night Vision LCD Display function, for speedy adjustment of the monitor’s brightness level depending on the shooting location

Designed for exclusive use with the PENTAX K-3 Mark III, this battery grip features dustproof, weather-resistant construction, and provides an extra set of control buttons (shutter release, Smart Function, AF/AE lock, exposure compensation, and green), a focus point selector lever, and a pair of electronic dials to facilitate vertical-position shooting. It is powered by the large-capacity D-LI90P Lithium-ion Battery, which is also used to power the camera body. This battery can be recharged using the camera’s USB terminal.

Grid Display (4x4 Grid, Golden Section, Scale, Square(L), Square(S), Grid Color: Black/Gray/White ), Histogram, Bright area warning, Composition Adjustment

Digital FilterExtract Color, Replace Color, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast, Shading, Invert Color, Unicolor Bold, Tone Expansion, Bold Monochrome, Grainy Monochrome

White BalanceAUTO WB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent Light (D:Daylight Color, N:Daylight White, W:Cool White, L:Warm White), Tungsten Light, CTE,

Playback ViewSingle frame, Multi-image display (20, 48, 70 segmentation), Display magnification (up to 16, 100% display, quick zoom and Focus Magnification available), Grid display (4x4 Grid, Golden Section, Scale, Square(L), Square(S), Grid Color: Black/Gray/White), Rotating, Histogram (Y histogram, RGB histogram), Bright area warning, Auto Image Rotation, Detailed information, Copyright information (Photographer, Copyright holder), GPS information (latitude, longitude, altitude, Coordinated Universal Time) , Orientation, Folder Display, Calendar Filmstrip Display

Digital FilterBase Parameter Adj, Extract Color, Replace Color, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast, Shading, Invert Color, Unicolor Bold, Tone Expansion, Bold Monochrome, Grainy Monochrome, Miniature, Soft, Fish-eye, Slim, Monochrome, Frame Composite

White Balance, Custom Image, Sensitivity, Digital filter, Clarity, Skin Tone, HDR, Pixel Shift Resolution, Distortion Correction, Peripheral Illumin. Corr., Lateral Chromatic Aberration Correction, Diffraction Correction, Color Fringe Correction, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Shadow Correction, File Format (JPEG/TIFF), JPEG Recorded Pixels, JPEG Quality, Aspect Ratio, Color Space

SettingsUSER Mode, Fx Button, AF/AE Lock Settings, Preview Dial, E-Dial Programming, Smart Function, Monitor Touch Operation, Eye Sensor, Viewfinder Display, LCD Panel, Monitor Display, Instant Review, Zoom Review, Warning Display, Control Panel, Memory, EV Steps, ISO Sensitivity Steps, Color Temperature Steps, Input MF Lens Focal Length, Save Rotation Information, Aperture Information Record, AF Fine Adjustment, Copyright Information

The Pentax K-3 II is the new flagship of the Pentax SLR system. The camera offers 24MP resolution, an APS-C-sized image sensor, a well-sealed and robust body, and numerous professional features.

Ricoh Imaging introduced the 24-megapixel Pentax K-3 II DSLR earlier this year. The Pentax K-3 II is the successor to the K-3 from 2013 and while it shares some features with that model, it adds a few new tricks, including an improved shake reduction system, a new high-speed AF algorithm, and built-in GPS.

The camera has a very large status LCD on the top. The mode dial on the left-hand side offers standard modes and direct access to bulb and flash sync modes.

The LCD on the back is very large (3.2 inches) and has a high resolution of 1,040,000 RGB dots. Changing image parameters and menu navigation is very comfortable. The camera offers a four-way control field and two setup dials (one above the cursor field, another near the shutter release button).

The Pentax K-3 II is a relatively large and robust camera (nearly 28 ounces) that is extensively sealed to withstand the elements. Its body is based on a stainless steel chassis and covered by a rubberized material that affords an excellent grip. The camera uses a 24MP APS-C-sized image sensor without a low-pass filter for maximum image sharpness.

As a professional camera, the K-3 II offers a large and illuminated status display on the top that shows important parameter settings like image size, file format, exposure settings, battery status, and which one of the two (or both) card slots are active. The camera offers two SD card slots and worked well with all of our test cards, Sony’s SDHC and Toshiba’s newest “Exceria Pro UHS-II” cards. The card slots can be used in different ways: for example, the photographer can use slot 1 for Raw images and slot 2 for JPEGs or one card system for recording stills and the second for recording videos.

The Pentax K-3 II has a large mode dial on its top. In addition to full automatic and standard modes with aperture or shutter speed priority, it offers additional modes like “Shutter & Aperture Priority (TAv),” three user-defined settings, X-Speed mode for taking images with a flash system, and bulb mode for time exposure shots.

Two setup dials, one near the shutter release button and the second on the back, allow the user to set up all parameters quickly and easily. A standard four-way button control field allows access to the many menu items, which reads out on a large 3.2-inch LCD screen that offers a resolution of 1,040,000 RGB dots. The LCD can be used as an electronic viewfinder by pressing the LV button on the back. The camera offers two live preview settings for photo and video recording. In video mode the LCD shows a 16:9 crop of the image. The optical viewfinder is very large and bright and offers 100 percent field of view, which is very helpful for image composition.

The camera has a built-in image stabilizer based on sensor shift technology. This allows for use of the stabilizer system with every lens mounted on the K-3 II. The moveable sensor offers a special “Pixel Shift Resolution” mode. In this mode, it takes four images in which every image is shifted by the size of a pixel to both sides, up and down. These four images are combined to a final 24MP image that uses all the pixels for RGB color information and creates images without color interpolation or moiré effects.

Startup time of the Pentax K-3 II is a bit slow, but all other functions are quite fast. The AF system uses 27 AF sensors, including 25 cross-type sensors. The user can activate multi-AF mode using nine AF sensors or spot AF metering; in all, it allows for a very versatile setup of the AF system.

The camera offers a GPS system, but a Wi-Fi module is missing. The camera can use Pentax FluCards for wireless image transfer and for use of a smartphone as a wireless remote trigger.

The camera showed detailed and rich reproductions of the test scene. Colors look very natural, with only the very high saturation of blue nuances visible in the blue spool in the upper right.

Color: Just like all Pentax SLRs, the K-3 II reproduced the color test chart with very high saturation (118.2 percent). Blue nuances are considerably boosted, although red colors have a surprisingly low saturation. These effects are caused by the factory set color mode: when we changed this mode to “Natural” the saturation was tamed to 105-110 percent. The white balance system did a good job. Only the brightest nuances are shifted in a more yellow and green direction. All colors have a natural look (apart from the highly saturated blue nuances) and skin tones are very good.

Sharpness: All test images were taken with the HD PENTAX DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR lens. In combination with this lens the camera showed an excellent performance in our resolution test and reproduced the test chart with 3,903 lines per picture height (sensor resolution: 4,000 lpph). The detail reproduction is partly the result of the missing low-pass filter and partly from an intense image sharpness filtering by the image processor. This was noticeable in our test images, which have a slight “artificial” look. Nevertheless, the fine details of the standard test box shot are clearly visible, aided by the very high and clearly defined differentiation of colors.

Reproduction of skin tones is very good. The red fabric of the T-shirt shows high color differentiation and sharp reproduction of fine details. The hair structure has a very natural look.

Noise: The camera showed a high luminance noise result at ISO 100. This noise result declines in images taken with ISO 200 to 1600 because the anti-noise filtering becomes more intense. Color noise is very low in images taken with ISO 100 to 3200. The combination of noise artifacts and anti-noise filtering becomes visible in images at ISO 3200 and higher and becomes quite annoying in the ISO 25,600 and ISO 51,200 range. Details are reduced severely in the ISO 25,600 and ISO 51,200 range, although up to ISO 12,800 images look good.

The dynamic noise results are excellent. The camera gained a maximum of 12 f/stops in ISO 200 mode and keeps a high level of more than 10 f/stops up to ISO 3200. At the highest ISO settings dynamic range decreases drastically down to 6.64 f/stops at ISO 51,200.

Just like all Pentax SLRs, the K-3 II reproduced the color test chart with very high saturation (118.2 percent). Blue nuances are considerably boosted, although red colors have a surprisingly low saturation. These effects are caused by the factory set color mode, which can be reset by the user to attain a less saturated look.

The Pentax K-3 II offers Full HD video recording with frame rates up to 30 progressive frames per second or videos in interlaced modes (50i/60i). In HD video mode with 1280x720 pixels the camera is able to record with 50 and 60 progressive frames per second. It doesn’t offer a cinema or Blu-ray mode with 24 frames per second. All videos are recorded in QuickTime format as MOV files with H.264 compression. Video files can be recorded on SD cards in card slot 1 or card slot 2; the LCD menu allows the user to set up the desired slot.

The camera allows for use of manual exposure settings for video recordings. Exposure modes are changed in the video menu on the LCD screen, not by setting of the mode dial on the top. When choosing manual exposure modes the aperture size and shutter speed are changed with the help of the two setup dials on the front and the back of the camera. The camera also allows for manual ISO speed settings, although the limit in video is ISO 3200. The Pentax also offers manual sound level control in 20 steps and shows sound level bars on the LCD for better sound control. It also has a 3.5mm jack for recording videos with an external microphone that can be mounted on the accessory shoe on the top.

The color reproduction in video mode is fine. Just like in photo mode, the saturation is very high, but the photographer can choose "Natural" for more realistic color reproduction.

Compared to the results in photo mode, the results in video mode are really disappointing. The resolution result is very poor: the camera reproduced the test chart with only 574 lines per picture height in Full HD mode (1,080 lpph) and created very soft-looking images. The results of the dynamic range tests are also very poor. The camera gained a maximum of only 6.26 f/stops. The noise results are on a good level and can be compared to the noise results in photo mode between ISO 100 and ISO 3200.

The color reproduction in video mode is fine. Just like in photo mode, the saturation is very high, but the photographer can choose “Natural” for more realistic color reproduction. There is very good performance of the white balance system, which shows only a minor shift of the white and brightest gray color pattern into the yellow/green direction. This is comparable to the result of the K-3 II in photo mode.

(Lab Review is where we publish web-exclusive lab reports on cameras. To read more Lab Reviews, click on the Reviews tab on the top navigation bar of this page. New photo gear reports are published frequently, so check Reviews for more equipment evaluations from Shutterbug writers.)

The Pentax K-3 III is an excellent DSLR born into a world that no longer cares much about DSLRs. In fact, with most people happy to snap away with one of the best camera phones and even enthusiasts having now switched to the best mirrorless cameras, it’s a surprise it even exists.

But here it is nonetheless, an APS-C DSLR that proves Pentax is standing by its assertion that it “believes in the future of SLR photography,” despite the fact that neither Canon nor Nikon has released one in two years.

None of that should count against the K-3 III of course, which taken on its own merits is a very good example of a dying breed. But equally, it’s impossible not to consider whether there’s actually a market for it outside of Pentax enthusiasts.

I spent several weeks with it, and enjoyed shooting with it despite its drawbacks. In fact, I"d say it"s one of the best DSLRs. Find out what it gets right, and wrong, in our full Pentax K-3 III review.

The Pentax K-3 III costs $1,995 in body-only form and is also available with a variety of kit lenses. Among them are the 11-18mm f/2.8 lens I tested it with ($3,399), the 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 ($2,349) and the 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ($2,449). There’s also a battery grip, which costs $295. The Pentax K-3 III is available now.

There are no design surprises with the Pentax K-3 III: it’s a DSLR, it’s proud of it, and it sure as hell isn’t going to take any risks. But while there’s nothing particularly wrong with its looks, as far as DSLRs go, it suffers from the format’s familiar drawbacks.

The biggest flaw here, though, is that the 3.2-inch LCD touchscreen doesn’t flip out as most now do. Come on, Pentax — I know making a DSLR in 2021 is something of a throwback, but that doesn’t mean you can’t move with the times.

It also feels great, with a nicely rounded grip that offers plenty of purchase, and the multitude of manual controls are mostly accessible with the thumb or forefinger through feel alone. Dual SD card slots are another bonus, as is the top status panel.

The main mode dial is on the top left and has a lock below it to prevent accidental changes. As well as the usual modes you also get Pentax’s TAV option, which lets you control aperture and shutter speed via the two control dials.

On the other hand, the K-3 III’s 5-axis image stabilization is excellent. Pentax claims it’s good for an extra 5.5 stops and that sounds about right from my experience; I was able to shoot as low as 1/8sec with some good results.

Battery life is excellent — Pentax says it’s good for 800 images and I only needed to charge it a couple of times in my several weeks with it. Plus, you can charge it via USB-C, which is a bonus if you’re away from a plug as you can just use one of the best portable chargers and power banks.

Stills have masses of detail and are incredibly clean; you can shoot up to ISO 6400 without any concerns and even 25,600 is usable. That said, I wouldn’t recommend trying ISO 1,600,000, which makes it look like you’re using a filter called ‘colorful sand’.

Dynamic range is also impressive, with the Pentax K-3 III rendering blue skies without blowing out the highlights on a bright sunny day, and also picking up details in the shadows in more overcast conditions. Colors tend towards a more natural look, which can make them look muted compared to some, but you can easily ramp them up in the settings.

I shot the same scene with K-3 III and my beloved Fujifilm X-T3 and the results are quite stark. The X-T3 may be three years old, but it"s still an excellent camera — but the K-3 III leaves it for dead in this comparison, doing a much better job at exposing the scene and serving up far more realistic colors.

But while it’s hardly going to trouble the best vlogging cameras, it’s perfectly serviceable for family videos. Footage is clear and colorful and the image stabilization really helps to keep things steady. In short, it’ll do the job for stills shooters who occasionally take videos, but not much more.

Pentax has long had fans in the star-gazing community, thanks to its dedicated Astrotracer feature, which shifts the sensor as you shoot the heavens so that stars remain static even as the Earth rotates. Having used it on the K-3 II, I expected it to be in the new model, but while it is, there’s no built-in GPS as there was in its predecessor. The upshot of that is that amateur astronomers will need to buy the separate O-GPS-1 attachment ($195)(opens in new tab) to take advantage of it.

If the Pentax K-3 III had come out five years ago, it would have been one of the best cameras available at its price point. As it is, it will have to settle for being one of the last great DSLRs.

If you’re a long-time Pentax user, it comes highly recommended. Image quality is superb and it’s well built, with plenty of nice little touches that make it a pleasure to shoot with — though the absence of GPS for the Astrotracer function is annoying, and the price is on the steep side.

Ultimately, while the K-3 III takes beautiful photos, it doesn’t do quite enough to justify that high price — or to explain why Pentax is sticking with DSLRs as the rest of the world moves on.Pentax K-3 III: Price Comparison

The K3: Pentax’s flagship camera that many thought would be a full frame option. Instead, the company gave them an APS-C DSLR with a couple of interesting features. For starters, users have a digital AA filter. Then you can add in all the typical Pentax features such as incredible weather sealing, stabilization on the sensor, lots of megapixels, and other features targeted at the outdoors crowd.

The Pentax K3 is an interesting camera that feels very solid in the hand, but that also feels a bit like the company tried to take the camera and make it feel as if its Vin Diesel on steroids. With that said, the camera has some big, broad shoulders that it uses to help pack in as much customization as it possibly can.

Along the top of the camera is where you’ll find even more settings. Near the grip is the on/off switch, shutter release, exposure compensation button, ISO control, LCD screen for information display, and the mode dial selector. Here you can also find the hot shoe for the K3.

Along the back of the camera is where you’ll find a massive assortment of more controls. Pentax places their playback, menus, focus selection control, four way control setting, and loads more back here. Indeed, if you’re not a Pentax user natively it may take some time to get used to.

The K3’s build quality is just as solid as any other flagship APS-C DSLR–and could be even better. We didn’t get the chance to test it with a weather sealed lens, but given that we ran the K-30 under a faucet and it survived, we’re sure that this camera will too. It is the company’s flagship after all.

Upon looking at the box that Pentax sent us again, we found a weather sealed lens with the camera. And as you can see, the weather sealing holds up with no issues.

The Pentax K3 is the company’s flagship DSLR, and so it is also its most advanced. Admittedly, of any brand out there I have the least familiarity with Pentax’s cameras but I also can adapt very quickly as is the nature of being a reviewer. If someone was coming from another brand to Pentax, they might find the K3 a tad intimidating. However, after a month of use, I still can’t totally understand why Pentax made some of the decisions that they did.

The great thing about the K3’s focusing system is that no matter what point you’re using and no matter what the lighting situation is (low light or great light) the focusing is accurate but sometimes slow. So with this, you can rest assured. However, it might not always seem like you’re focused accurately. While they have wonderful bokeh and great image quality, Pentax’s legendary primes are a tad soft when compared with many modern optics. And so to get the best results we recommend stopping down just a bit lest you believe that you’re not in focus.

In our Sunny 16 tests we found the Pentax K3 to underexpose by 1/3rd of a stop. By modern standards, that is actually quite normal and leads us to believe that the camera houses a Sony sensor as their cameras tend to do this the most.

The overall image quality of the Pentax K3 is not somethin