16 replies to this topic

[Daniel]

I bought my first Pentax K3 tonight as my winter camera. I've got yet to test it because the battery is having it's first charge. Anyone else buy this camera? I would like to know what your thoughts are about this camera, pros and cons over the next while. Every comment, suggestion, tip, and short coming would be appreciated and helpful to this new Pentax owner.     

[Grantley]

Hi Daniel.

I have had (& still have) Pentax from film into digital *istDS and now a K511s. For the money they are a lot of bang for the buck but have their weaknesses. Hopefully the K3 will have overcome the main one inmho, and that is the AF system. The K511s is the best of my current three bodies I/we have (K20D, K5 & K511s).....my wife is also in on this. Each model showed a degree of improvement over the other when it came to AF, again, my opinion.

 

The flaw in the AF sytem is its in-ability to consistently track a moving target coming towards you.

 

30 minutes with the Nikon D800 re-inforced this view beyond any doubt.

 

However, I must add it is not fair to compare a $1200 body with a $3000 body, it is more about buying the tool that does the job you require. Interestingly I recently let someone else shoot with the K511s and Sig 70-200 f2.8 combo who was a D5100 user,,,,they declared the Pentax to be an awesome camera and couldn't stop talking about how good it was....in all departments...so perhaps that is the fairer comparison.

 

I am sure you will take a lot of great shots with the K3 and look forward to seeing some.

[Kenafein]

Adam also runs a Pentax forum, Pentaxforums,com.  You should make an account there.  It's the greatest Pentax resource on the internet, and a very mature forum.  Adam has an in-depth review of the K-3 there.  He says it's the best Pentax camera to date, but the AF is still not up to the level of its competitors.  If they could have come close, on the AF, the K-3 would have clobbered the D7100.  It's a better camera in almost every other respect, and the D7100 is a great camera.  Have fun with your new toy.  

[Russ]

Yeah I'd still have Pentax if I hadn't ended up doing lots of sports photography. I enjoyed their size and how it fitted the hand, and of course, TAv mode.

[Guy]

Yeah I'd still have Pentax if I hadn't ended up doing lots of sports photography. I enjoyed their size and how it fitted the hand, and of course, TAv mode.

Put your Nikon in auto ISO and manual mode and I believe that is the same thing as TAv.

[Brazeal]

Put your Nikon in auto ISO and manual mode and I believe that is the same thing as TAv.

Yep.  

[Russ]

Put your Nikon in auto ISO and manual mode and I believe that is the same thing as TAv.

Yeah I know, but putting your camera in "manual", and it still working out the exposure for me automatically is not, to me, manual.

[Guy]

Yeah I know, but putting your camera in "manual", and it still working out the exposure for me automatically is not, to me, manual.

 

So it's Nikon not giving a special mode on a dial that is the problem?   I mean, if you are picking shutter/aperture and the camera is finding the best fit ISO to make that exposure work on your Pentax, that is not very manual either, no? 

[Russ]

That's right, and Pentax don't call it manual either. When set to manual in Pentax, all exposure settings ARE manual.

[Guy]

That's right, and Pentax don't call it manual either. When set to manual in Pentax, all exposure settings ARE manual.

 

Just turn off auto ISO and you're back to manual mode.  Lots of cameras do things differently. Don't expect them all to be the same.  Adapt, persevere and get down to the business of taking pictures and things like that might not be a bother.   I shoot lots of different brands of cameras. And that philosophy works for me, anyway. 

[Russ]

I know how to do it, been Nikon for a few years now, but I still think it's dumb to have a manual mode that isn't manual.

[alden]

When I set my D7100 or D80 to M it is fully manual.

 

I would have to enable the Auto ISO to make it not fully manual. 

 

Auto ISO is not the default setting when I turn it to M, is another way to say it. 

[Cindy Clicks]

Daniel,  I'd love to know how that K-3 is working for you.  I bought one three weeks ago and it has been nothing but a headache.  Motion blur and the shutter does not work properly.  It fires when I don't want it to and doesn't when it is supposed to.  I am using the Pentax 18-270 on it and now they think there might be a problem with the lens.  I have used a Canon T3i for years with a Tamron 28-300 and it has worked beautifully.  I can take super sharp images at incredibly low shutter speeds.   If I can't get this Pentax to work for me I will have to return it.  

[Daniel]

Daniel,  I'd love to know how that K-3 is working for you.  I bought one three weeks ago and it has been nothing but a headache.  Motion blur and the shutter does not work properly.  It fires when I don't want it to and doesn't when it is supposed to.  I am using the Pentax 18-270 on it and now they think there might be a problem with the lens.  I have used a Canon T3i for years with a Tamron 28-300 and it has worked beautifully.  I can take super sharp images at incredibly low shutter speeds.   If I can't get this Pentax to work for me I will have to return it.  

 

I haven't had any issues with mine at all. I got the Pentax 18-135mm weather sealed lens with it. But to be honest haven't used mine much. I am going to get the extended warranty to 3 yrs on it and sale it though to increase its value. Heres an interesting youtube video from  guy from Calgary, Canada.

[Russ]

That's one of the better video reviews I've seen for any camera.

[Grantley]

Daniel,  I'd love to know how that K-3 is working for you.  I bought one three weeks ago and it has been nothing but a headache.  Motion blur and the shutter does not work properly.  It fires when I don't want it to and doesn't when it is supposed to.  I am using the Pentax 18-270 on it and now they think there might be a problem with the lens.  I have used a Canon T3i for years with a Tamron 28-300 and it has worked beautifully.  I can take super sharp images at incredibly low shutter speeds.   If I can't get this Pentax to work for me I will have to return it.  

Hi Cindy....thats always dis-appointing when you buy something and it doesnt work as you hoped. Have you posted your issues over on Pentax Forums? There may be something simple going on as there are many, many different functions that can be assigned. Believe me...its easy enough to do.

For the record my K3 has performed flawlessly to date.

If you need any help with it you can email me at grant@scenicrimphotography.com.au

Cheers

[Cindy Clicks]

Thanks,  I will do that if I need additional help.  Right now I am waiting for a new lens to come in because they think that might be the problem.  But if I do end up keeping the camera, I am hoping that Tamron with make a Pentax mount for their new 16-300 lens.