Weather-Sealing & Ergonomics. Lens compatibility. Pentax dedication not to change lens mount every few years. Bang-for-buck! I grew up learning photography on the Pentax ME Super in the late late 90's. It was my dad's for over about 10-15 years before that. I still occasionally use the Pentax ME Super 50mm kit lens on my K-70. Just for fun.
@@GODSPEEDseven That's somthing overlooked often is the backwards compatibility of the Pentax K mount. I love using my old SMC 70-210 & SMC 50 they have a complete different look than the modern equivalents, some of my personal favourite images have come from those lenses.
I bought one a few months ago. I bought it for the better sensor and ISO performance over my K-3 Prestige edition, and the better auto focus (apparently, haven't really tested that). Plus for pixel shift and handheld pixel shift, plus the vario screen and the image sync app and remote shooting, which I can't do on a K-3 because I don't have the flucard. Flucards have been ludicrously expensive second hand. I want to try out the pixel shift some more as its supposed to be something like a foveon sensor. Like you I have 4 Pentax dslr's and need to go to a Full Frame K-1 and keep the K-70 as my apsc camera for all my favorite apsc lenses that are DA and DA*. But to properly answer the question: 1. Vario screen with image sync to mount the camera on a tripod and shoot events from my phone. 2. Better high ISO from the sensor over my K3. 3. Pixel shift and handheld pixel shift. (Not happy about 1 SD card though, and the K3 is more substantial and puts a bigger smile on my face)
Nice review. I purchase my K70 in September 2021 and used it for about 18 months. I love the image quality, the articulated screen, menus, feel of the camera with the grip, shake reduction and more. This is my third Pentax DSLR. Love that it works great with an older lens, I use it mostly with an older 35 mm F2.0 that cost less than $200. Superb lens.
Just seeing this video at the end of 2022 and I really like how you present your thoughts on the K70 in the video! I am an entry level amateur photographer, and I have never understood the menu controls on the Canon or Panasonic DSLRs properly until I switched to my Pentax K70. I purchased this camera 2 days before going to Iceland last week due to the need for weather sealing, and I could start using it from the get go! *That's how well the Pentax menu system is designed* The photos I took on the car while at Iceland were snappy and clear, and the landscape photos just pop out like they are in real time. I also bought a wide angle 28 mm F2.8 Samyang lens, and they worked amazing for Northern Lights photography! All in all, really excited to grow with my Pentax K70, and I really hope more people know about Pentax as a company and how amazing their products are for the price and features they give to customers.
@@timoteitodor2868 It takes other lenses as well. I purchased a Samyang SY14M-P 14mm F2.8 for shooting the Northern Lights for example. Not sure what kind of mount it is, I'm assuming K mount?
As a NYC Based Photographer, I bought my First Pentax K-70 back in May of this year; and I Love it! I went to Brooklyn to do some STREET PHOTOGRAPHY; and wound up Photographing Slyvester Stallone filming his New movie on Bedford Ave! In a few days, I'll be buying a Pentax K-30 body on sale @B&H; as a Back-up to my K-70!📸🙏
Nice! Aww man that's awesome that you stumbled upon Sly shooting a new movie! I'm jealous haha. The K-70 is a super little camera I'm really glad I bought mine, I out some time into that camera that's for sure!
Great vid as usual! The K-70 is also the ONLY Pentax camera with a hybrid AF system that has phase matching on sensor and does AF.C in video with both PLM and DC lenses.
I had your same thinking process many years ago when I started to gather information for buying a dslr, looked for Canon and Nikon and then I discovered the Pentax world. I bought the K30 new for something like 350£ and she's with me since 2014. I had the aperture control block mechanism problem but luckly it was under warranty. Always with me during the hiking in the Alps. Sun, rain, ice, no problem at all, I love this camera.
Every camera has it's faults I suppose the apature block seemed to be the K30, K50 & K-70's. One things for sure though they will all tick the box for shooting in adverse weather conditions year round!
Yep weather sealing is a top feature especially in this price bracket. Its not the best option for sports, in saying that my best sports images to date have been taken with the K-70.
It's still an excellent camera for photography. Well made and with a tactile feel well beyond its price point. The reality is It's harder to find a camera that doesn't give perfectly good results than one which does. For most people if it feels good in the hands, has the features you need and you're happy with the price then you'll be fine. Pentax make excellent cameras which major on quality if you like DSLRs. And that's personal preference, I love mirrorless cameras but I hate the way a certain type of photographer is obsessed with telling DSLR users why DSLRs are rubbish. I must admit I keep thinking about getting one of these as an affordable well featured DSLR for when I want to use a DSLR in addition to my Fujifilm XT5.
Well that's the thing, we can shoot both DSLR & Mirroless. I think people get too obsessed with being on a certain side of the fence when in reality it just doesn't matter that much. I'd say go for it, for the price your going to have a weather sealed camera for not much money in comparison to some other bodies. Then you use the Pentax when the weather turns bad & save your XT5!
@LeeIveson I have actually been very tempted by a K3 ii. A local dealer has a solitary 'new old stock' kit with the well regarded 16-85 lens at a good price. When looking at the KF (mild refresh of the K70, and I don't say that as a criticism) they mentioned they would offer a very attractive price indeed for the K3 ii to clear it. That would be a little more but not that much and it's a beautiful camera. Yes it's an old model but it still has an excellent sensor and professional build quality and it's the sort of camera for which if I had one I would only feel a need to upgrade it if and when it stopped working. I only recently upgraded from an XE2 I had had for 8 years and was still perfectly happy with until the LCD screen died and it developed a habit of just powering off for no reason. However it was still a lovely camera which still met my needs. If people can look beyond the 'newest is bestest' culture they would open up a world of choice for themselves.
@@johnbradshaw5900 I'm very much the same way, my K3 still takes fantastic photos as does my K5, I even went to the dark side & picked up a Canon 7Dii which is also fantastic. Nothing wrong with yesterday's cameras, especially at the prices you can find them! Let me know if you pick up that deal on the K3ii 🤟
Great overview! I also own this camera, I just use it for casual hikes and occassionally landscape, have never regretted the purchase, especially when I get caught in the rain - which is quite often - I don't worry. It's rugged, survived many drops and bangs, great video. 👍
Glad you picked the Pentax. They have a looooooong history of ruggedness, reliability , ease of operation and world firsts in the camera industry. I personally, still have my Pentax Spotmatic ( 1967), Pentax MZ - 50, and Pentax MZ5 - n . all 35mm film and all in use today. That is Quality !!
It's crazy that I'd never even heard of Pentax before I started my research on which camera to buy as my first DSLR! I'm really glad I went with Pentax as my first steps into the world of Photography! (AWESOME set of Pentax bodies you have there yourself Rob!)
@@LeeIveson Hi Lee, thanks for the response ! There is a post on utube entitled the History of Pentax ( 1919 - 2022 ), which I highly recommend and I am sure that you will find it very interesting ! I think that the reason you had not heard of Pentax, is probably because that, with the popularity of digital cameras in the first decade of the millennium , Pentax, for some reason, were slow to respond and their early offerings could not compete with Nikon, canon and a whole host of others, like Fuji and Samsung etc. I myself, when looking to buy a digital in 2010, obviously, first wanted a Pentax, but sadly, I was not impressed with what they had to offer ! So, with a sad heart, I opted for a Nikon D3000. It has served me well, but with the re-emergence of Pentax, I am now looking at a D70 or D3. The great thing with Pentax is, that that all my old 35mm film Pentax camera lenses can be used still on the new Pentax bodies. Including my old 42mm screw mount lenses ! Best of luck and I am sure you will get many hours of joy from your Pentax !!
Hi there ! I'm a long time "Pentaxian", I got my K20D over 10yrs. ago, the same reason like you I wanted a weather seal model for my outdoor activities, you can't find anything other than Pentax with this ruggedness at the same price range. Currently I am still using my 8yrs. old K3 Gen 1, I hope you enjoy your camera too, and please spread the good news about Pentax that many regarded as a "dying company". Pentax cameras are built for real photographers and built to last !
At 10:22 in your video, you have described the exact reason I still use the original Pentax K-3 camera to this day. Nothing else on the market can give me the same pleasure to use as this camera. If Pentax could make a Pentax K-3 with the exact same button placement and menu as its original but with an articulating screen like the K-1 and an upgraded sensor, I would pay an extra $1000 over its new Pentax K-3 iii price without hesitation.
They got it spot on with the K3 for sure. That body is just a pleasure to shoot with, the button layout is pretty much perfect, the weight & feel of the camera in hand is bang on also. I've had a few walks out with the K3ii now & that is more or less identical to the MK1 apart from the pop up flash swap out for the GPS which I'm looking forward to trying out some time!
Great camera, my first outing with this was in the city at night in what can only be described as monsoon conditions (still some of my favourite pics), the next weekend I was in a jungle about 120km south of Manila the camera never missed a beat. I know Lee Hayes is hoping for a K-90 not sure they'll release one though (hope I'm wrong). The live view mode and the AF selector works well with back button AF for landscape/cityscape/still life, not many people mention that the camera in this mode has 35 AF points. The only downside for me is the limited buffer and buffer clearing time. The articulating screen is great for getting a different point of view especially for nature/woodland shots. Honestly pound for pound the best camera Pentax has made in my opinion when you look at image quality, features and cost.
I'd love Pentax to bring out a K-90 too! But I can't see that happening any time soon if they do :( And yes the K-70 or KP I would say are the best value for money cameras from Pentax, just so much packed in for a great price!
Thanks Lee! I'm on the fence at the moment, I think if they do make a K-90 it will be after a K1MK3 I just think if they put one out now it would have to be crippled so it didn't take sales away from the K3iii.
Pentax is a sleeper camera, but when it comes awake it’s one of the best systems ever. I’m still using my K-10D, which nearly matches the quality of my full-frame K-1. My advice is to keep your K-70 as backup to your newer models.
I think Pentax has been overlooked by many simple due to poor marketing. I've actually sold the K-70, I've kept my K5, K3 & K3ii. I'm probably going to sell a few lenses that I don't use & look to buy a few more in the focal ranges I use the most often. I may even pick up a couple of older Pentax cameras like the K-10D to try out & review?
Hi there Lee, I overlooked this great review. I believe the K-70 is such a great all-rounder. It's really too tiny for a DSLR to be taken for granted. Regarding the Aperture Block Failure (ABF), it seems like it's a rather rare occurrence in older productions. A member from PentaxForums noted that the latter versions not only have the smoother plunger but the magnet has much less hold which is quite similar to the made in Japan white solenoids. In this case, ABF with the K-70 is history and we may never hear about it again. So if one is thinking of getting another one, a model produced recently won't have that failure anymore. Cheers.
Hey Eldo, thanks buddy! That's nice to know they have addressed the issue, I personally never experienced the aperture block failure with the two K-70's I've owned. Maybe I'll end up with a third K-70 in the future?
@@LeeIveson Welcome! Good to know about your experience. I was told that even before the proper fix that ABF on the K-70 was very, very rare. A third one? It seems kind of intriguing for me, as well, as I have noticed quite a bit of an uptake of the K-70 amongst my photo groups. I was told that after the lockdowns, they started getting tired of led/lcd screens, hence the purchase of the most decently-priced modern-day DSLR, the K-70. Cheers.
I purchased my K70 in 2017 never had ABF problems until I loaned my camera to my son he shoits in auto mode and needed it to photograph fragile documents. When i got the camera back it had ABF otobkens on the first shot than cleared and it still occasionally appears. Lee Haze method seems to work to clear the problem . Put camera in J-PEG multiple Espoursers and shoot as many pictures as possible. It seems to work to free up ABF.
The K-70 is a great little camera! Especially when you consider it's price point to features ratio, it has most of what's included in the Pentax flagship models from the same generation. The K-70 also pairs very well with the vintage K-Mount glass just as well as it does with the newest releases from Pentax. If your looking for some more videos/info on the K-70 then you should check out Lee Haze channel (he's just sold his K3iii to go back to the K-70) th-cam.com/users/leehaze1
I started out on a Nikon dslr and was a complete Nikon nut for about a year. That camera had a glass ceiling. I switched to a Sony and later to Pentax, and Pentax just makes far more sense. I thoroughly regretted buying my Nikon and Sony cameras and wished I had have just bought a Pentax, but I had this Pentax prejudice from all the negative comments I read in magazines. I thoroughly tried out Pentax cameras in the shops on those stands, up against Canons and Nikons, and I actually found Pentax performed exceptionally well back then, and better than the Nikons and Canons. I would literally be there trying out cameras on the stands for over 30 minutes week in and week out for months. Switching to Pentax with a K-5 - and mind you I was still skeptical even owning it - the menu system is 1000 times better than anything else I've used. It cleared up A LOT OF CONFUSION for me on basic shooting stuff. Pentax menus are simplified, and its a pity the other brands aren't this good. The IQ coming out of the Pentax's just have more 3D pop because there's no anti-aliasing filters, and even the older bodies they were weak. Nikon and Canon apsc had/have strong AA filters and you really miss out on that sharpness and pop. For this similar reason people have flocked to Fujifilm because X-trans has no AA filter. But the difference is Pentax has a full frame camera path, whereas fuji is all apsc. I dipped my feet in Fuji years ago and just recently sold my last Fuji camera. I had the 65mm f1.2 which I also sold because it had no to very little 3D pop. Though sharp, the Fujis lack 3D pop and character, but they add character with their film simulations. I started with a Nikon and my first year of photography most of my images were crooked. I could not hold a camera properly. My Sony had 5 axis and all of a sudden my images were all level. My Pentax K5 also has 5 axis IBIS and again, the horizon correction keeps your images level. Plus all your primes are stabilized too. Years later I became better at holding any camera better. The Nikon menu system puts blockages in your mind, and Pentax menus clear everything out, and make everything simplified and you then are mostly concerned with composition. You do not worry about anything because nothing is a problem, and you don't have to worry about why and how things will go in my next menu dive, because its intuitive but not messy like the other brands. . Nikons use the silly aperture cartoon that chews up cpu and RAM on the camera. Sony's aren't too good with their menus because they jam too much in, plus their fonts and shooting data is tiny. Fuji menus are appalling with similar small fonts and small shooting data. Canons are similar to Pentax with smaller harder to read fonts, with extra pages and deeper menu dives. Pentax has big fat fonts and the most relevant shooting data is right on the back screen, and the quick menu is in info button (I do not recall Nikon or Canon having a quick menu, maybe they got em now). You won't regret switching to Pentax, until you decide to switch to something far more complex with features you'll never use.
Some great points made from real world experience 👏 There's good and not so good points about all the camera manufacturers, I don't think there's ever going to be a "perfect" camera, but by trying out as many as possible we can find what suits us as the photographer the best! 👌
I have an attraction towards the misfit and underrated gadgets. It saves money, too. Pentax shake reduction + vintage lenses is like the ultimate budget combo lol
Flip screens should be compulsory 😆 I'd love to see them bring out a K-90 I think a fair few Pentax shooters have voiced this too. I wouldn't think it would be coming anytime soon though, they want to keep shifting K3iii units so a K-90 may hinder that. For me it would need to keep the flip screen, bump it up to 10fps, massively improve the AF system with a complete overhaul, 24mp is still fine but with a new sensor & chip to help push the AF up by 10 levels! maybe keep the flash so its not competing with the now updated GPS in the K3iii? I know that Kobie found a pending patent that Pentax applied for a few year back for some sort of electronic overlay option for the OVF (th-cam.com/video/HZRwrQaROuY/w-d-xo.html) that would be pretty special if we had the option to switch between the OVF & some sort of overlay to mimic how the exposure is going to look with whatever settings we had dialled in!
I'm buying the Pemtax K-S2 it seems to be the perfect match for me I was originally going for the K70 but I just like the features of the K-S2 a bit more honestly some day I want to own the K70 K-S2 and the KP all together in a happy home
Good video. I started with compact camera and then bridge camera but was missing so much. I wanted more. January 2017 I bought my K 70. I combine with K 1 for events its a cool set. I've dropped the camera so many times but it's like my old Volvo. Defective but you can still count on it.
That's a nice pairing for events! Yeah although it's a polycarbonate body it's still pretty robust and of course we'll sealed from the elements. Great camera.
Really enjoyed your review man. I just bought an old Pentax K10D with an 18-55mm lens about a week ago (about £75 in all), looking to get into DSLR photography properly and hoping it serves me well. Had a couple of bridge cameras in the past but this is my first DSLR. Once I’ve gotten some good use out of the K10D (already ordered a Pentax 55-300mm f4-5.8 SMC DA ED Lens for it, due in next couple of days) then I might consider getting a K70. Won’t get too ahead of myself for just now though haha.
I had a K30 Blue & Black. I needed the Screen & Handling reminded me of my first SLR the Me-Super. :) The 18-135 make it an excellent combination. The only drawback is no battery grip....which is why I have a K3iii that does.
@@LeeIveson I had a 12-20 Sigma with the K70. And there were 2 types of Photo I Loved. Reflection at my local Loch & Ferrari (Showroom) using the screen at car level. Can't wait to try my new KF with the 18-135mm. And I might get a 10-17mm. But if there's going to be a plm I'll wait.
Top stuff once again Lee. The only trouble is you appear to have re-ignited my Gear Aquisition Illness again! I now need to go out and get another couple of Pentax cameras!!
@@LeeIveson I think APSC is the biggest/heaviest I could manage now Lee, especially after working with Olympus M43's and Sony's recently. That said, I think I'd really appreciate the extra resolution as I mainly shoot landscapes? One day perhaps!??
The only thing I don't like about the K-70 is that the green button is not as nicely reachable as with the K-3 and that there is no dedicated button for switching the focus point. Oh, and the shutter is rather loud. Other than that it's practically a perfect camera.
I bought this camera two months ago. it came with 18-55kit WR, + 55-300plm + smc 50/1.7. Features packed beast, no other same class cameras can beat this camera in image quality, high iso performance, dynamic range, not to mention that pixel shift thing it's got. But it is not for video.
@@LeeIveson Thank you! i've got another good deal for used 16-50 sdm 400$, and that will be it with the lens selection for me. As for the video, Continuous AF is weak, it loses focus quickly, but like you said - it can work. I will seriously start learning video soon but, only with the manual lenses.
Great review Lee. I bought the K-70 a couple of years ago when my local camera shop were selling them with two kit wr zoom lens for £600. I didnt want nikon or canon nor ever had one only film cameras and systems compacts. The K-70 camera is brill loads of features and easy to use. A bit heavy but so well made and weather proof. Not that bothered about video quality or sports shots. Prefer landscape and still life etc. I bought lots of second hand prime lens all inexpensive except 100mm wr which is worth it. The best feature is? A top quality weather resistant camera that is way inexpensive compared to the other brands. I bought a single wrist strap instead of the neck strap and its much more flexible to walk about.
Thanks Rob! You got an even better deal than I did on mine! That's how I've built up my lens collection, buying second hand when I find a good deal. I've yet to try the 100 WR but I can imagine it is stellar, I know Kobie just picked one up & loves it.
@@LeeIveson yes l bought fhe 100mm wr as new from mpb for half original price though lve seen it even cheaper since. Also bought as new 40mm pancake limited from cardiff camera store which is great that l got for £100. I'd like a full frame one day if or when l save up enough. Theres a good camera exchange in Bradford where lve visit and they've a great lens selection. Last one l bought was ex con pentax 135mm smc f3.5 really sharp for £30. Cheers
Nice! I don't have many decent primes, the plastic fantastic 50mm is the only modern prime lens I own atm. I've got a few 135mm vintage primes that I'm going to review soon.
@@LeeIveson l tend to look at the lens reviews on the pentax forum which offers a range of views on these lens new and vintage. Ive the 50mm 1.8 too and its a good prime. I picked up a couple off CEX store that are pretty good like tamron 18-200 and pentax 55-300mm both inexpensive and pretty decent though far from the best but l cant afford really expensive ones ld like. I use a nice light compact lumix Gx7 l bought fairly cheap from mpb with pentax lens adapter. l seem to have collected a lot of pentax, 3rd party and lumix lens these past few years! Cheers
Im still trying to figure out why they dont hype Pentax up as much as Canon when it comes to colors. This and Olympus is some of the most pleasing i have ever seen especially their old film like sensors.
I have had mine for 4 years also. I bought the GPS Module for the Astrophotography feature. It took me a while to figure it out but since I did I have taken some great photos of the night sky. I just purchased the K1 Mk II and I can’t wait to get up to the mountains and do Astrophotography with it.
I would love to see them do 1 good mirror less with the gr3 sensor in a nice camera body with adaptable lens capability could be real interesting stills wise . just one body not 10 different colors they already did the R and D . They also should revisit the modular idea from the gxr. Sigma basically did it and it very interesting . the FP sigma has a cult following now especially with the firm ware update
If they ever did bring out another mirrorless I think it would be 5-10 years away. They have already said they remain committed to the DSLR at this point. I'd like to see a K-90 or a KP MKii but I think the next logical step is the K1 MKiii. I agree about the colours too haha
Nice still have the k50 but I only use it with m42 adapter on manual to avoid the aperture block failure. Ks2 had a terrible power button . the k70 could have been a game changer had Pentax not messed up the k30 and k50. People were still nervous. Again the Nikon d3100 sucked but the d3200 was their game changer too bad they did not put a traditional sync port. Deal breaker for me love the k3 . and kd20 I believe it had a ccd sensor looks great either way for a film look don't forget the Q. Don't let that tiny size fool you. Those tinyn lenses stopped down are amazing if only they had a decent advertising and PR team. The new k3 m3 is beautiful but just too expensive for what you get despite that sales are up for them because everyone stopped making dslr
For me the K-70 was great, I personally never experienced the aperture block. The reason I sold it was because the K3 & K3ii suited my style of shooting more, I like more buttons on the body so I can assign more options to quickly change on the fly. The k3iii does look good but its way too expensive for me at the moment, I'd want some more sports specific glass from Pentax too. I've said many times if they could update the DA* lenses with HD coating & PLM motors that would be a big step forward. The PLM changes things for shooting action with even old cameras like the original K3.
@@LeeIveson grab a 20 mm 3.5 if its not to expensive 250 300 is fair. manual focus but the sharpest Pentax lense I ever seen . probably great for you landscapes. Amazing on mirror less. Why the new k3 is more expensive than the k1 is a mystery
I've got a K-70 and upgraded to the K-1, Not going to sell the K-70 because its smaller and lighter. Cameras are the best tool for the job, so there is no reason to sell.
Lee thinking about buying another k70 sold mine a few months ago and missed the colors every since . There is just something about those Pentax colors.
I know what you mean, I've been in that boat & ended up with another K-70 which I'm actually selling now for the reasons I talked about at the end of this video. Who knows a few month down the line I might end up regretting it & buying another haha third time's the charm & all that!
It is a great camera, there’s no doubt about it but it has the prospect of failing with the dreaded aperture block failure. So after loosing a Ks2 and a K50 to it I regretfully traded it in.
@@LeeIveson thank you, I actually bought it, just I wanted to now did I act correct or not. I'll see what do I get on Monday, when it arrives. The seller was offering it first for 400 than for 320, 300 and when he offered it for 200 i couldn't resist. And I have some lenses from my Pentax k-x that will fit on this device... But thanks for the advice!
How it performs in low light and night? I came here from Photontophotos to see the review as it shows quite higher dynamic range than the curve from my 6D among 800-3200 ISO which is considered to be a low light beast.
hi. just purchased a mint used k70. what i cant work out is when changing the shutter speed or aperture i cant see those changes through the viewfinder.. does that mean i have to do all the changes on the LCD to see the exposure ,if so thats CRAZY. i am sure that my past dslrs i could see the exposure change through the viewfinder as i adsjusted them
Hi, the K-70 is a crop sensored camera it's not full frame. If your looking at the K-70, Pentax have just announced a new camera the Pentax KF you might want to compare and see which makes the most sense for you personally. 👍
Oh sorry I meant apc I always wanted to try the Pentax system just to see what it's like. I tried Sony APCS camera but I didn't like the colors plus I wanted to try Pentax lenses. I using the Fujifilm X-T1 and the X-E2 now because I like the camera style, colors & light to handle
I never had any issues personally, but I do know of others who have had the dreaded apature block problem with their K-70. You might want to take a look at the Pentax KF which is basically the K-70 revived but without the solenoid issue from my understanding. Overall a great camera with many features only found in much more expensive models.
Hi Lee, excellent review and thank you for doing the video. I have a question which I have not been able to find answers. I have a K5IIs which I love. However, when shooting studio portraits and trying to preview, K5IIs is very slow in showing the previews. I have tried faster SD cards to no avail. How do you find the K70 preview speed? I have had K1 and K3 bodies in the past and the previews were very quick and snappy on those bodies. Do you mind sharing your experience with preview speed on the K70. Thanks.
Hi Boris, thanks! I no longer own the K-70 but I know for sure the review/buffer speed was much faster on the K-70 than my K-5. I think this is probably down to updated processor. My K-3 & K-3ii also have much faster buffer speeds than the K-5.
Good question. The files are not that much different unless your pixel peeping, but even then it's not a big difference. However the AF accuracy from the K3iii is lightyears ahead of what my K-70 could do, totally different cameras in terms of the AF capabilities.
@@LeeIveson Thank you. While I wish the screen was tilty or articulated, I do like that it's higher res which seems like it would help with punching in to check focus.
It all depends on what your going to use the camera for the most. The M50 is great for photos & video & had good AF capabilities, the K-70 is great for photos & the quality of the files are brilliant, but not so much for video. If your going to shoot outside in any sort of adverse weather conditions the K-70 wins out easily as its very well weather sealed & has lots of weather sealed lens options. Both great cameras for different reasons.
It's a horrible thought, but I'm unsurprised that (as a Pentax shooter for 40 years) an entire generation has never heard of the oldest SLR manufacturer in Japan.
It seems bizarre now that I've been shooting with Pentax since 2018 haha. But at that point I didn't know much at all about photography in general. I just remember having a check list & the Pentax cameras ticked all the boxes for me.
@@JTroker Well crop sensor bodies sort of lend themselves to sports & wildlife, so that makes sense as to why you don't care for them given that you don't shoot that stuff.
Do you own the K-70? What's your favourite feature from this camera?
Weather-Sealing & Ergonomics. Lens compatibility. Pentax dedication not to change lens mount every few years. Bang-for-buck!
I grew up learning photography on the Pentax ME Super in the late late 90's. It was my dad's for over about 10-15 years before that. I still occasionally use the Pentax ME Super 50mm kit lens on my K-70. Just for fun.
@@GODSPEEDseven That's somthing overlooked often is the backwards compatibility of the Pentax K mount. I love using my old SMC 70-210 & SMC 50 they have a complete different look than the modern equivalents, some of my personal favourite images have come from those lenses.
I bought one a few months ago. I bought it for the better sensor and ISO performance over my K-3 Prestige edition, and the better auto focus (apparently, haven't really tested that). Plus for pixel shift and handheld pixel shift, plus the vario screen and the image sync app and remote shooting, which I can't do on a K-3 because I don't have the flucard. Flucards have been ludicrously expensive second hand.
I want to try out the pixel shift some more as its supposed to be something like a foveon sensor. Like you I have 4 Pentax dslr's and need to go to a Full Frame K-1 and keep the K-70 as my apsc camera for all my favorite apsc lenses that are DA and DA*.
But to properly answer the question:
1. Vario screen with image sync to mount the camera on a tripod and shoot events from my phone.
2. Better high ISO from the sensor over my K3.
3. Pixel shift and handheld pixel shift.
(Not happy about 1 SD card though, and the K3 is more substantial and puts a bigger smile on my face)
Rugged and battery life!
Nice review. I purchase my K70 in September 2021 and used it for about 18 months. I love the image quality, the articulated screen, menus, feel of the camera with the grip, shake reduction and more. This is my third Pentax DSLR. Love that it works great with an older lens, I use it mostly with an older 35 mm F2.0 that cost less than $200. Superb lens.
Just seeing this video at the end of 2022 and I really like how you present your thoughts on the K70 in the video! I am an entry level amateur photographer, and I have never understood the menu controls on the Canon or Panasonic DSLRs properly until I switched to my Pentax K70.
I purchased this camera 2 days before going to Iceland last week due to the need for weather sealing, and I could start using it from the get go! *That's how well the Pentax menu system is designed*
The photos I took on the car while at Iceland were snappy and clear, and the landscape photos just pop out like they are in real time. I also bought a wide angle 28 mm F2.8 Samyang lens, and they worked amazing for Northern Lights photography!
All in all, really excited to grow with my Pentax K70, and I really hope more people know about Pentax as a company and how amazing their products are for the price and features they give to customers.
Sounds like you had an amazing trip! And that the K-70 was the perfect fit.
does it take other lenses or just pentax lenses? what mount does the camera have?
@@timoteitodor2868 It takes other lenses as well. I purchased a Samyang SY14M-P 14mm F2.8 for shooting the Northern Lights for example. Not sure what kind of mount it is, I'm assuming K mount?
The K70 with the 18-135 kit lens for 796 is a greatly undervalued. I love like how Pentax creates a folder for each day shooting
That's a great combo for general purpose photography too, nice reach at 135. The best part about that combo for me is that is all WR!
As a NYC Based Photographer, I bought my First Pentax K-70 back in May of this year; and I Love it! I went to Brooklyn to do some STREET PHOTOGRAPHY; and wound up Photographing Slyvester Stallone filming his New movie on Bedford Ave! In a few days, I'll be buying a Pentax K-30 body on sale @B&H; as a Back-up to my K-70!📸🙏
Nice! Aww man that's awesome that you stumbled upon Sly shooting a new movie! I'm jealous haha. The K-70 is a super little camera I'm really glad I bought mine, I out some time into that camera that's for sure!
Great vid as usual! The K-70 is also the ONLY Pentax camera with a hybrid AF system that has phase matching on sensor and does AF.C in video with both PLM and DC lenses.
Cheers Kobie. Yeah that's a good point! If the image stabilisation worked better with video that would be a feature I'd use more often 100%
K-70 + 55-300 PLM is a nice combo for less than $1000.
I had your same thinking process many years ago when I started to gather information for buying a dslr, looked for Canon and Nikon and then I discovered the Pentax world. I bought the K30 new for something like 350£ and she's with me since 2014. I had the aperture control block mechanism problem but luckly it was under warranty. Always with me during the hiking in the Alps. Sun, rain, ice, no problem at all, I love this camera.
Every camera has it's faults I suppose the apature block seemed to be the K30, K50 & K-70's. One things for sure though they will all tick the box for shooting in adverse weather conditions year round!
I like my K70. Weather sealing is key. Not great for action, but awesome photo quality. And I had Pentax glass. 😁
Yep weather sealing is a top feature especially in this price bracket. Its not the best option for sports, in saying that my best sports images to date have been taken with the K-70.
It's still an excellent camera for photography. Well made and with a tactile feel well beyond its price point. The reality is It's harder to find a camera that doesn't give perfectly good results than one which does. For most people if it feels good in the hands, has the features you need and you're happy with the price then you'll be fine. Pentax make excellent cameras which major on quality if you like DSLRs. And that's personal preference, I love mirrorless cameras but I hate the way a certain type of photographer is obsessed with telling DSLR users why DSLRs are rubbish. I must admit I keep thinking about getting one of these as an affordable well featured DSLR for when I want to use a DSLR in addition to my Fujifilm XT5.
Well that's the thing, we can shoot both DSLR & Mirroless. I think people get too obsessed with being on a certain side of the fence when in reality it just doesn't matter that much. I'd say go for it, for the price your going to have a weather sealed camera for not much money in comparison to some other bodies. Then you use the Pentax when the weather turns bad & save your XT5!
@LeeIveson I have actually been very tempted by a K3 ii. A local dealer has a solitary 'new old stock' kit with the well regarded 16-85 lens at a good price. When looking at the KF (mild refresh of the K70, and I don't say that as a criticism) they mentioned they would offer a very attractive price indeed for the K3 ii to clear it. That would be a little more but not that much and it's a beautiful camera. Yes it's an old model but it still has an excellent sensor and professional build quality and it's the sort of camera for which if I had one I would only feel a need to upgrade it if and when it stopped working. I only recently upgraded from an XE2 I had had for 8 years and was still perfectly happy with until the LCD screen died and it developed a habit of just powering off for no reason. However it was still a lovely camera which still met my needs. If people can look beyond the 'newest is bestest' culture they would open up a world of choice for themselves.
@@johnbradshaw5900 I'm very much the same way, my K3 still takes fantastic photos as does my K5, I even went to the dark side & picked up a Canon 7Dii which is also fantastic. Nothing wrong with yesterday's cameras, especially at the prices you can find them! Let me know if you pick up that deal on the K3ii 🤟
Great overview! I also own this camera, I just use it for casual hikes and occassionally landscape, have never regretted the purchase, especially when I get caught in the rain - which is quite often - I don't worry. It's rugged, survived many drops and bangs, great video. 👍
It is defiantly a hardy little camera that's for sure! I miss the flip screen since I sold my last K-70, great for those awkward shots.
Glad I found this video. I have a Pentax K-S2, second hand, and I absolutely love it.
I almost bought the K-S2, great camera also!
Glad you picked the Pentax. They have a looooooong history of ruggedness, reliability , ease of operation and world firsts in the camera industry. I personally, still have my Pentax Spotmatic ( 1967), Pentax MZ - 50, and Pentax MZ5 - n . all 35mm film and all in use today. That is Quality !!
It's crazy that I'd never even heard of Pentax before I started my research on which camera to buy as my first DSLR! I'm really glad I went with Pentax as my first steps into the world of Photography! (AWESOME set of Pentax bodies you have there yourself Rob!)
@@LeeIveson Hi Lee, thanks for the response ! There is a post on utube entitled the History of Pentax ( 1919 - 2022 ), which I highly recommend and I am sure that you will find it very interesting ! I think that the reason you had not heard of Pentax, is probably because that, with the popularity of digital cameras in the first decade of the millennium , Pentax, for some reason, were slow to respond and their early offerings could not compete with Nikon, canon and a whole host of others, like Fuji and Samsung etc. I myself, when looking to buy a digital in 2010, obviously, first wanted a Pentax, but sadly, I was not impressed with what they had to offer ! So, with a sad heart, I opted for a Nikon D3000. It has served me well, but with the re-emergence of Pentax, I am now looking at a D70 or D3. The great thing with Pentax is, that that all my old 35mm film Pentax camera lenses can be used still on the new Pentax bodies. Including my old 42mm screw mount lenses ! Best of luck and I am sure you will get many hours of joy from your Pentax !!
Hi there ! I'm a long time "Pentaxian", I got my K20D over 10yrs. ago, the same reason like you I wanted a weather seal model for my outdoor activities, you can't find anything other than Pentax with this ruggedness at the same price range. Currently I am still using my 8yrs. old K3 Gen 1, I hope you enjoy your camera too, and please spread the good news about Pentax that many regarded as a "dying company". Pentax cameras are built for real photographers and built to last !
At 10:22 in your video, you have described the exact reason I still use the original Pentax K-3 camera to this day. Nothing else on the market can give me the same pleasure to use as this camera. If Pentax could make a Pentax K-3 with the exact same button placement and menu as its original but with an articulating screen like the K-1 and an upgraded sensor, I would pay an extra $1000 over its new Pentax K-3 iii price without hesitation.
They got it spot on with the K3 for sure. That body is just a pleasure to shoot with, the button layout is pretty much perfect, the weight & feel of the camera in hand is bang on also. I've had a few walks out with the K3ii now & that is more or less identical to the MK1 apart from the pop up flash swap out for the GPS which I'm looking forward to trying out some time!
Great camera, my first outing with this was in the city at night in what can only be described as monsoon conditions (still some of my favourite pics), the next weekend I was in a jungle about 120km south of Manila the camera never missed a beat. I know Lee Hayes is hoping for a K-90 not sure they'll release one though (hope I'm wrong). The live view mode and the AF selector works well with back button AF for landscape/cityscape/still life, not many people mention that the camera in this mode has 35 AF points. The only downside for me is the limited buffer and buffer clearing time. The articulating screen is great for getting a different point of view especially for nature/woodland shots. Honestly pound for pound the best camera Pentax has made in my opinion when you look at image quality, features and cost.
I'd love Pentax to bring out a K-90 too! But I can't see that happening any time soon if they do :( And yes the K-70 or KP I would say are the best value for money cameras from Pentax, just so much packed in for a great price!
Excellent review. Kind of sad I sold this camera. Hopefully they will make a K-90.
Thanks Lee! I'm on the fence at the moment, I think if they do make a K-90 it will be after a K1MK3 I just think if they put one out now it would have to be crippled so it didn't take sales away from the K3iii.
Pentax is a sleeper camera, but when it comes awake it’s one of the best systems ever. I’m still using my K-10D, which nearly matches the quality of my full-frame K-1. My advice is to keep your K-70 as backup to your newer models.
I think Pentax has been overlooked by many simple due to poor marketing. I've actually sold the K-70, I've kept my K5, K3 & K3ii. I'm probably going to sell a few lenses that I don't use & look to buy a few more in the focal ranges I use the most often. I may even pick up a couple of older Pentax cameras like the K-10D to try out & review?
Hi there Lee, I overlooked this great review. I believe the K-70 is such a great all-rounder. It's really too tiny for a DSLR to be taken for granted.
Regarding the Aperture Block Failure (ABF), it seems like it's a rather rare occurrence in older productions. A member from PentaxForums noted that the latter versions not only have the smoother plunger but the magnet has much less hold which is quite similar to the made in Japan white solenoids. In this case, ABF with the K-70 is history and we may never hear about it again. So if one is thinking of getting another one, a model produced recently won't have that failure anymore. Cheers.
Hey Eldo, thanks buddy! That's nice to know they have addressed the issue, I personally never experienced the aperture block failure with the two K-70's I've owned. Maybe I'll end up with a third K-70 in the future?
@@LeeIveson Welcome! Good to know about your experience. I was told that even before the proper fix that ABF on the K-70 was very, very rare.
A third one? It seems kind of intriguing for me, as well, as I have noticed quite a bit of an uptake of the K-70 amongst my photo groups. I was told that after the lockdowns, they started getting tired of led/lcd screens, hence the purchase of the most decently-priced modern-day DSLR, the K-70. Cheers.
I purchased my K70 in 2017 never had ABF problems until I loaned my camera to my son he shoits in auto mode and needed it to photograph fragile documents. When i got the camera back it had ABF otobkens on the first shot than cleared and it still occasionally appears. Lee Haze method seems to work to clear the problem . Put camera in J-PEG multiple Espoursers and shoot as many pictures as possible. It seems to work to free up ABF.
I've never considered the K70 - but this really sounds like a good camera. Shooting with Nikon FX at the moment, this is strangely tempting tbh!
The K-70 is a great little camera! Especially when you consider it's price point to features ratio, it has most of what's included in the Pentax flagship models from the same generation. The K-70 also pairs very well with the vintage K-Mount glass just as well as it does with the newest releases from Pentax. If your looking for some more videos/info on the K-70 then you should check out Lee Haze channel (he's just sold his K3iii to go back to the K-70) th-cam.com/users/leehaze1
I started out on a Nikon dslr and was a complete Nikon nut for about a year. That camera had a glass ceiling. I switched to a Sony and later to Pentax, and Pentax just makes far more sense. I thoroughly regretted buying my Nikon and Sony cameras and wished I had have just bought a Pentax, but I had this Pentax prejudice from all the negative comments I read in magazines. I thoroughly tried out Pentax cameras in the shops on those stands, up against Canons and Nikons, and I actually found Pentax performed exceptionally well back then, and better than the Nikons and Canons. I would literally be there trying out cameras on the stands for over 30 minutes week in and week out for months.
Switching to Pentax with a K-5 - and mind you I was still skeptical even owning it - the menu system is 1000 times better than anything else I've used. It cleared up A LOT OF CONFUSION for me on basic shooting stuff. Pentax menus are simplified, and its a pity the other brands aren't this good.
The IQ coming out of the Pentax's just have more 3D pop because there's no anti-aliasing filters, and even the older bodies they were weak. Nikon and Canon apsc had/have strong AA filters and you really miss out on that sharpness and pop. For this similar reason people have flocked to Fujifilm because X-trans has no AA filter. But the difference is Pentax has a full frame camera path, whereas fuji is all apsc. I dipped my feet in Fuji years ago and just recently sold my last Fuji camera. I had the 65mm f1.2 which I also sold because it had no to very little 3D pop. Though sharp, the Fujis lack 3D pop and character, but they add character with their film simulations.
I started with a Nikon and my first year of photography most of my images were crooked. I could not hold a camera properly. My Sony had 5 axis and all of a sudden my images were all level. My Pentax K5 also has 5 axis IBIS and again, the horizon correction keeps your images level. Plus all your primes are stabilized too. Years later I became better at holding any camera better.
The Nikon menu system puts blockages in your mind, and Pentax menus clear everything out, and make everything simplified and you then are mostly concerned with composition. You do not worry about anything because nothing is a problem, and you don't have to worry about why and how things will go in my next menu dive, because its intuitive but not messy like the other brands. . Nikons use the silly aperture cartoon that chews up cpu and RAM on the camera.
Sony's aren't too good with their menus because they jam too much in, plus their fonts and shooting data is tiny. Fuji menus are appalling with similar small fonts and small shooting data. Canons are similar to Pentax with smaller harder to read fonts, with extra pages and deeper menu dives. Pentax has big fat fonts and the most relevant shooting data is right on the back screen, and the quick menu is in info button (I do not recall Nikon or Canon having a quick menu, maybe they got em now).
You won't regret switching to Pentax, until you decide to switch to something far more complex with features you'll never use.
Some great points made from real world experience 👏
There's good and not so good points about all the camera manufacturers, I don't think there's ever going to be a "perfect" camera, but by trying out as many as possible we can find what suits us as the photographer the best! 👌
I have 5 pentax DSLR’s and only just now purchased the K70 for the flip out screen: In short you can never have too many cameras
I like that saying . . . Can never have too many cameras 📷 👌
Still makes beautiful works of art in 2023
Very true! I was just looking through my files last night actually and the k-70 files are top notch!
I have an attraction towards the misfit and underrated gadgets. It saves money, too. Pentax shake reduction + vintage lenses is like the ultimate budget combo lol
Once you use a flip screen, it's hard to go back. If Pentax sells a $899 K-90 with better autofocus, 7+ fps, flip screen ... I'm buying it.
Flip screens should be compulsory 😆 I'd love to see them bring out a K-90 I think a fair few Pentax shooters have voiced this too. I wouldn't think it would be coming anytime soon though, they want to keep shifting K3iii units so a K-90 may hinder that. For me it would need to keep the flip screen, bump it up to 10fps, massively improve the AF system with a complete overhaul, 24mp is still fine but with a new sensor & chip to help push the AF up by 10 levels! maybe keep the flash so its not competing with the now updated GPS in the K3iii? I know that Kobie found a pending patent that Pentax applied for a few year back for some sort of electronic overlay option for the OVF (th-cam.com/video/HZRwrQaROuY/w-d-xo.html) that would be pretty special if we had the option to switch between the OVF & some sort of overlay to mimic how the exposure is going to look with whatever settings we had dialled in!
I'm buying the Pemtax K-S2 it seems to be the perfect match for me I was originally going for the K70 but I just like the features of the K-S2 a bit more honestly some day I want to own the K70 K-S2 and the KP all together in a happy home
The more cameras the better I say haha! That was the first camera I started looking at (K-S2) and how I discovered Pentax!
Good video.
I started with compact camera and then bridge camera but was missing so much.
I wanted more.
January 2017 I bought my K 70.
I combine with K 1 for events its a cool set.
I've dropped the camera so many times but it's like my old Volvo. Defective but you can still count on it.
That's a nice pairing for events! Yeah although it's a polycarbonate body it's still pretty robust and of course we'll sealed from the elements. Great camera.
i have the k50 and the k70 and i like them both.all my old film lenses fit right on so i had a bit of a head start
Just one of the reasons it's really great that Pentax kept the K mount!
Really enjoyed your review man. I just bought an old Pentax K10D with an 18-55mm lens about a week ago (about £75 in all), looking to get into DSLR photography properly and hoping it serves me well. Had a couple of bridge cameras in the past but this is my first DSLR. Once I’ve gotten some good use out of the K10D (already ordered a Pentax 55-300mm f4-5.8 SMC DA ED Lens for it, due in next couple of days) then I might consider getting a K70. Won’t get too ahead of myself for just now though haha.
Thanks Lee. I like your thought process, shoot the things you love with the gear you have then work your way up when it feels right. Merry Christmas 🎅
@@LeeIveson Merry Christmas man 🎄
I really like my K70 as well. I have my eye on doing some sports work and I may end up springing for the K3m3 though down the road.
100% the K3iii is the best option from Pentax for sports, but value for money you can't get much better than the K-70!
I had a K30 Blue & Black. I needed the Screen & Handling reminded me of my first SLR the Me-Super. :)
The 18-135 make it an excellent combination.
The only drawback is no battery grip....which is why I have a K3iii that does.
Yeah, the battery was an issue for me too, although they were fairly cheap (3rd party) and small enough to chuck a few in my pocket.
@@LeeIveson I had a 12-20 Sigma with the K70. And there were 2 types of Photo I Loved. Reflection at my local Loch & Ferrari (Showroom) using the screen at car level. Can't wait to try my new KF with the 18-135mm.
And I might get a 10-17mm. But if there's going to be a plm I'll wait.
Top stuff once again Lee. The only trouble is you appear to have re-ignited my Gear Aquisition Illness again! I now need to go out and get another couple of Pentax cameras!!
Good to know I'm not the only one who suffers from it then haha! Have you never fancied the K1?
@@LeeIveson I think APSC is the biggest/heaviest I could manage now Lee, especially after working with Olympus M43's and Sony's recently. That said, I think I'd really appreciate the extra resolution as I mainly shoot landscapes? One day perhaps!??
The only thing I don't like about the K-70 is that the green button is not as nicely reachable as with the K-3 and that there is no dedicated button for switching the focus point. Oh, and the shutter is rather loud. Other than that it's practically a perfect camera.
I bought this camera two months ago. it came with 18-55kit WR, + 55-300plm + smc 50/1.7. Features packed beast, no other same class cameras can beat this camera in image quality, high iso performance, dynamic range, not to mention that pixel shift thing it's got. But it is not for video.
Nice setup! The features still stack up even in todays market. Yeah it's defiantly not the best option for video, it can work but its not the best.
@@LeeIveson Thank you! i've got another good deal for used 16-50 sdm 400$, and that will be it with the lens selection for me.
As for the video, Continuous AF is weak, it loses focus quickly, but like you said - it can work. I will seriously start learning video soon but, only with the manual lenses.
Great review Lee. I bought the K-70 a couple of years ago when my local camera shop were selling them with two kit wr zoom lens for £600. I didnt want nikon or canon nor ever had one only film cameras and systems compacts. The K-70 camera is brill loads of features and easy to use. A bit heavy but so well made and weather proof. Not that bothered about video quality or sports shots. Prefer landscape and still life etc. I bought lots of second hand prime lens all inexpensive except 100mm wr which is worth it. The best feature is? A top quality weather resistant camera that is way inexpensive compared to the other brands. I bought a single wrist strap instead of the neck strap and its much more flexible to walk about.
Thanks Rob! You got an even better deal than I did on mine! That's how I've built up my lens collection, buying second hand when I find a good deal. I've yet to try the 100 WR but I can imagine it is stellar, I know Kobie just picked one up & loves it.
@@LeeIveson yes l bought fhe 100mm wr as new from mpb for half original price though lve seen it even cheaper since. Also bought as new 40mm pancake limited from cardiff camera store which is great that l got for £100. I'd like a full frame one day if or when l save up enough. Theres a good camera exchange in Bradford where lve visit and they've a great lens selection. Last one l bought was ex con pentax 135mm smc f3.5 really sharp for £30. Cheers
Nice! I don't have many decent primes, the plastic fantastic 50mm is the only modern prime lens I own atm. I've got a few 135mm vintage primes that I'm going to review soon.
@@LeeIveson l tend to look at the lens reviews on the pentax forum which offers a range of views on these lens new and vintage. Ive the 50mm 1.8 too and its a good prime. I picked up a couple off CEX store that are pretty good like tamron 18-200 and pentax 55-300mm both inexpensive and pretty decent though far from the best but l cant afford really expensive ones ld like. I use a nice light compact lumix Gx7 l bought fairly cheap from mpb with pentax lens adapter. l seem to have collected a lot of pentax, 3rd party and lumix lens these past few years! Cheers
Incredible photos
Thanks mate 👍
Im still trying to figure out why they dont hype Pentax up as much as Canon when it comes to colors. This and Olympus is some of the most pleasing i have ever seen especially their old film like sensors.
It's a shame, I agree they should be shouting about it. I also think they should introduce some new colour profiles, almost like presets I suppose.
Awesome review 💪🏽😊
Thanks mate! Loved my K-70, a great little camera packed full of features!
I have had mine for 4 years also. I bought the GPS Module for the Astrophotography feature. It took me a while to figure it out but since I did I have taken some great photos of the night sky. I just purchased the K1 Mk II and I can’t wait to get up to the mountains and do Astrophotography with it.
The K-70 is a great way to get into the Pentax system & it defiantly punches above it's weight in my opinion! Nice upgrade with your K1ii
Four years. Nobody would accuse you of rushing to an opinion of this camera.
I would love to see them do 1 good mirror less with the gr3 sensor in a nice camera body with adaptable lens capability could be real interesting stills wise . just one body not 10 different colors they already did the R and D . They also should revisit the modular idea from the gxr. Sigma basically did it and it very interesting . the FP sigma has a cult following now especially with the firm ware update
If they ever did bring out another mirrorless I think it would be 5-10 years away. They have already said they remain committed to the DSLR at this point. I'd like to see a K-90 or a KP MKii but I think the next logical step is the K1 MKiii. I agree about the colours too haha
@@LeeIveson I do love my k0-1 in yellow though. 😂
Nice still have the k50 but I only use it with m42 adapter on manual to avoid the aperture block failure. Ks2 had a terrible power button . the k70 could have been a game changer had Pentax not messed up the k30 and k50. People were still nervous. Again the Nikon d3100 sucked but the d3200 was their game changer too bad they did not put a traditional sync port. Deal breaker for me love the k3 . and kd20 I believe it had a ccd sensor looks great either way for a film look don't forget the Q. Don't let that tiny size fool you. Those tinyn lenses stopped down are amazing if only they had a decent advertising and PR team. The new k3 m3 is beautiful but just too expensive for what you get despite that sales are up for them because everyone stopped making dslr
For me the K-70 was great, I personally never experienced the aperture block. The reason I sold it was because the K3 & K3ii suited my style of shooting more, I like more buttons on the body so I can assign more options to quickly change on the fly. The k3iii does look good but its way too expensive for me at the moment, I'd want some more sports specific glass from Pentax too. I've said many times if they could update the DA* lenses with HD coating & PLM motors that would be a big step forward. The PLM changes things for shooting action with even old cameras like the original K3.
@@LeeIveson grab a 20 mm 3.5 if its not to expensive 250 300 is fair. manual focus but the sharpest Pentax lense I ever seen . probably great for you landscapes. Amazing on mirror less. Why the new k3 is more expensive than the k1 is a mystery
I've got a K-70 and upgraded to the K-1, Not going to sell the K-70 because its smaller and lighter. Cameras are the best tool for the job, so there is no reason to sell.
Plus it's fun to have way more cameras than we need 😄
Lee thinking about buying another k70 sold mine a few months ago and missed the colors every since . There is just something about those Pentax colors.
I know what you mean, I've been in that boat & ended up with another K-70 which I'm actually selling now for the reasons I talked about at the end of this video. Who knows a few month down the line I might end up regretting it & buying another haha third time's the charm & all that!
It is a great camera, there’s no doubt about it but it has the prospect of failing with the dreaded aperture block failure. So after loosing a Ks2 and a K50 to it I regretfully traded it in.
Yes there is the potential for that to happen although it seems a lot less than the previous models which suffered from this issue.
I was going to ask the same question. Tks
I found this camera new today, in the box, never used, only body for 200 euros. Does it worth the money?
BUY IT NOW! That's a great price!
@@LeeIveson thank you, I actually bought it, just I wanted to now did I act correct or not. I'll see what do I get on Monday, when it arrives. The seller was offering it first for 400 than for 320, 300 and when he offered it for 200 i couldn't resist. And I have some lenses from my Pentax k-x that will fit on this device... But thanks for the advice!
@@zorankocoski6147 Nice, you will love the K70 I'm sure! Especially for that price!
How it performs in low light and night? I came here from Photontophotos to see the review as it shows quite higher dynamic range than the curve from my 6D among 800-3200 ISO which is considered to be a low light beast.
For an APSC camera it's very good. I'm not sure if it would stack up to a full frame camera from the same era from low light performance though.
I regularly use m K70 at ISO upwards of 12500 and I get good pictures a lot depends on he lens at high ISO
hi. just purchased a mint used k70. what i cant work out is when changing the shutter speed or aperture i cant see those changes through the viewfinder.. does that mean i have to do all the changes on the LCD to see the exposure ,if so thats CRAZY. i am sure that my past dslrs i could see the exposure change through the viewfinder as i adsjusted them
Congrats on your purchase Stephen. Check out this clip from @PentaxTips (Pentax K-70: Overview Training) th-cam.com/video/p_Zn-rj4khc/w-d-xo.html
Would you buy a K70 in 2022 for a beginner full frame? Amazon have a great Black Friday,Cyber Monday deal K70 bundle with the 18-55 lens for 699€??
Hi, the K-70 is a crop sensored camera it's not full frame. If your looking at the K-70, Pentax have just announced a new camera the Pentax KF you might want to compare and see which makes the most sense for you personally. 👍
Oh sorry I meant apc I always wanted to try the Pentax system just to see what it's like. I tried Sony APCS camera but I didn't like the colors plus I wanted to try Pentax lenses. I using the Fujifilm X-T1 and the X-E2 now because I like the camera style, colors & light to handle
@@taterandy3958 I suppose it all comes down to what you want/need from a camera really.
Have you had any issues with the malfunctioning solenoid in your K-70? I've read they go bad and its really putting me off buying the camera tbh.
I never had any issues personally, but I do know of others who have had the dreaded apature block problem with their K-70. You might want to take a look at the Pentax KF which is basically the K-70 revived but without the solenoid issue from my understanding. Overall a great camera with many features only found in much more expensive models.
@@LeeIveson Ah okay, I didn't know about the KF. Thanks for the recommendation!
Hi Lee, excellent review and thank you for doing the video. I have a question which I have not been able to find answers. I have a K5IIs which I love. However, when shooting studio portraits and trying to preview, K5IIs is very slow in showing the previews. I have tried faster SD cards to no avail. How do you find the K70 preview speed? I have had K1 and K3 bodies in the past and the previews were very quick and snappy on those bodies. Do you mind sharing your experience with preview speed on the K70. Thanks.
Hi Boris, thanks! I no longer own the K-70 but I know for sure the review/buffer speed was much faster on the K-70 than my K-5. I think this is probably down to updated processor. My K-3 & K-3ii also have much faster buffer speeds than the K-5.
@@LeeIveson Thank you Lee. Much appreciated.
Now with the passage of time, how would you compare the actual files from the K70 with the K3iii and also AF accuracy
Good question. The files are not that much different unless your pixel peeping, but even then it's not a big difference. However the AF accuracy from the K3iii is lightyears ahead of what my K-70 could do, totally different cameras in terms of the AF capabilities.
@@LeeIveson Thank you. While I wish the screen was tilty or articulated, I do like that it's higher res which seems like it would help with punching in to check focus.
@@grabshotphoto7396 Yes the screen is gorgeous, it's so clear! Love the tech screen function too.
What lenses do you use on the k70?
55-300 PLM, DA* 50-135, DA 50, Sigma 10-20 are my favourite lenses.
On the fence between this and canon m50?
It all depends on what your going to use the camera for the most. The M50 is great for photos & video & had good AF capabilities, the K-70 is great for photos & the quality of the files are brilliant, but not so much for video. If your going to shoot outside in any sort of adverse weather conditions the K-70 wins out easily as its very well weather sealed & has lots of weather sealed lens options. Both great cameras for different reasons.
@@LeeIveson wedding photography
And portrait
No video
What is the aperture for the da plm 55-300?
F4.5 - f6.3 variable apature
It's a horrible thought, but I'm unsurprised that (as a Pentax shooter for 40 years) an entire generation has never heard of the oldest SLR manufacturer in Japan.
It seems bizarre now that I've been shooting with Pentax since 2018 haha. But at that point I didn't know much at all about photography in general. I just remember having a check list & the Pentax cameras ticked all the boxes for me.
Please show us the photos you took instead of talking
I thought ahead & made a video just for you 😉 th-cam.com/video/cLFFpfxu_p0/w-d-xo.htmlsi=piSb8WtKc4rzMxLg
I don't care for crop sensor cameras.
I love the crop sensor. Great reach for sports & wildlife at a fraction of the cost when cropping full frame images to achieve the same result.
@@LeeIvesonI don't do sports and wildlife. The same result? Not on 40×50.
@@JTroker Well crop sensor bodies sort of lend themselves to sports & wildlife, so that makes sense as to why you don't care for them given that you don't shoot that stuff.
Sell it before it Aperture Blocks lol
Oh thanks for the good karma Eddy 😂
@@LeeIveson Hehe