I am also a K3iii user for 2 years. For me, Pentax offers the perfect combination of ergonomics, quality and features that make the cameras worth the money. Yes, there are cameras that are comparable and/or have better features but none combine all of them in a way that Pentax does. I came to Pentax just over 3 years ago after romances with Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony and Olympus/Panasonic. With Pentax it was, and still is love. I don’t care that they say the system is outdated and without a future. It gives me joy of taking pictures and that’s all that counts.
⭐️ I’ve watched a whole slew of your videos over the last week or so as I consider whether to upgrade from my K3ii and this one has clinched it - yes 👍 - your videos are presented very well in an easily relatable manner and you manage to cram a whole lot of useful info in a short space of time - subscribed ⭐️ thanks 👍
I totally love it and have absolutely no desire to change it for anything else. Okay it lacks the tilt screen but on the rare occasion where I know that one would be beneficial I take my KP which I consider to be underrated. I enjoyed your review, it was well balanced and thought out
..I've been with Pentax since the '70s and will probably stay that way until the end! :) I had adventures with other systems out of pure curiosity, but somehow they didn't win my heart !!! :)
I am exactly like you. Been with Pentax since the ME was introduced in the 70’s. I just can’t find a good reason to leave the system. My wife shoots with Sony. Definitely not for me. I truly enjoy the whole shooting experience with a Pentax DSLR.
In the UK the K3 iii new sells for around £1500-£1600. A Nikon D500 for anything between £1500 to £1800. So here at least it is now competitive for the money.
Coming from the K3 to the K3iii, it's so much of an upgrade that it feels odd to call it a K3 one thing you didn't mention is the viewfinder, which is a huge improvement over earlier Pentax cameras. One day I'll hire a mirrorless camera to get a comparison. I tried a bunch of mirrorless cameras in Tokyo but I really didn't like the electronic viewfinders. I hate the electronic viewfinder on my camcorder, but it's better than not having one. The problem is that I can see distant objects with my eyes through a DSLR, but with an electronic viewfinder, they become invisible.
@Kobie M-C fair enough. You mentioned a bunch of things a second time and I think it's worth reminding people that the viewfinder is a lot better. After two years of using the camera, you tend to take it for granted, but it's much easier to see critical focus with the K3iii viewfinder compared to the K3.
@mipmipmipmipmip I don't remember the exact models which I tried in Tokyo, but the Sony was a high end one, as were the Panasonic, Fuji, Canon and Nikon.
Got mine as soon as it was released. I haven't had the opportunity to use it as much as I would have liked over the last two years. That is my main regret. I really need to get out more!
A great summation from the man who’s channel is the go to for anything Pentax related end of story. I recently got the K3iii , and I have the KP you could wax lyrical all day long about the difference between them but it comes down to nothing comes close to a Pentax in the DSLR world if you want to mention the Nikon D500 then like other pundits keep calling it the King , but I say the King is dead long live the King which is of course the Pentax K3 iii.😂
I've had mine for about two months now. I feel like it would be the perfect camera if it had a tilt screen. Of course a lower price is always welcome. I agree with the other viewer who said it is the "perfect combination of ergonomics, quality and features." (Well, almost perfect...again, tilt screen) It is difficult to articulate why I prefer Pentax. It's one of those "greater than the sum of its parts" things. It is just fun to use. Unfortunately the joy of using it is not something easily marketed, even if Pentax advertised. Specs are what sells cameras. But Pentax is more a feeling and an experience than it is numbers on paper. It's like why do people drive Jeeps with two doors, soft tops, no interior space, loud uncomfortable interior, terrible fuel economy and road manners? They are a terrible everyday vehicle, yet people drive them and love them. Now Pentax cameras unlike Jeeps on the street are actually good at what they do. They are good cameras, full stop. But on paper other cameras have better road manners and fuel economy: better AF, EVFs which some prefer now, lower cost. But the Pentax is just more fun for many of us, and that's what matters. And now with the K-3iii we finally have a camera that can do any genre of photography. It's not just a "portrait and landscape" brand.
Great video! The price has now come down a tiny bit. People often say, "if you're already invested in Pentax lenses." But I think if you consider the price of the lenses, even if you aren't buying them new, then I think the total system cost is a lot lower than the competition. I could get a Canon or Sony body for a bit cheaper with comparable core features, but anything that would compete with my 300 prime would cost thousands of dollars more.
I just received my used K-3 Mark iii and it has firmware v1.01. I'll update it to the current newest tonight (2.11 as of Dec 6, 2023) when I crawl home from work. I can't wait to go play with my new to me camera (I traded my K-1 mark ii, its battery grip, and my K-3 mark ii for this used K-3 mark iii). While I was waiting on this camera to ship, I used my K100D Super and realized I've gotten weak in my photography skills because of the power of a modern camera. Never loose your roots!
I had a chance to actually have a proper look at a K3 iii about 18 months ago and yes it was very nice indeed. However, for me it fell short of what I want a camera to do for me, so instead of upgrading my K3 mk1 or KP, I kept them and bought a K1 ii instead as it offered more to me as an upgrade for the type of photos I like to take (landscape and still life) than the K3 iii would. The K3 mk1 I keep partly for nostalgia, as it was the first serious digital camera I bought, and partly as it has a very useful built in flash with great functionality which I find particularly handy for fill in and for macro use. The KP I keep because of its nice compact body and good low light performance. Again it has a built in flash, but it's just not as good as the K3s'. The K iii would mean one of these still excellent cameras would have to go and it would not add, indeed it would detract in some areas, to my photo output.
Is it worth it? No. For non Pentaxian it is not. For Pentaxian depends. If you have only or mostly DA lenses, sure. Otherwise wait for K-1 Mk III. If you are not Pentaxian and want DSLR, wait for K-1 Mk III. Unless you want, for whatever reason, APS-C camera. This is very specialised camera, action camera (it does other things good, sure), but it is very specialised camera that has no specialised lenses for it to work with on a level you would expect from it. It makes it really bad choice. Yes, it does work with current len lineup, even with Old lenses that still use screwdrive or SDM if you know what you are doing. But experience is substandard. At best. Test it against Nikon or Canon with equivalent pro-level long zooms and it is eye opening experience. Still, they do not have OVF. Do I regret getting K-3 Mk III. No, it works for my needs (plane spotting) relatively well. Notice - relatively. Would I buy it 2 years ago if I knew about it what I know now? Probably. Not becasue it is great camera, but becasue it has OVF and Pentax is only system currently that at least promises that there will be future cameras with OVF. Which I find more important then better AF, faster lenses etc. But if OVF is not a must, get Canon. Fuji. Whatever. You Will be happier.
Like yourself I invested in Pentax many years ago, looking back would I do it again probably not. At this time it would be too expensive to start all over again.
Let's stop saying, that Pentax cameras are only for existing Pentaxians. Pentax is for enthusiasts. It's pleasure to use and gives solid image quality. Stop talking about stuff like "investment in lenses" - we do it for fun and not to compensate the expenses or so... - we're hobbyists after all 😀
Just use what suits and go and enjoy taking good images. There are shot load of camera bodies out there that atre more than capable for little money with good glass of course.
11 firmware updates if we include the recent 1.80. That's 1 update more than the next "most updated", the K-5 (10 updates, in about 4 years if I'm not mistaken); and they didn't stop updating the K-3iii.
Photography is a hipster hobby? I'm not sure exactly what you mean. Are you saying that non failing price and "lack of feature" won't stop you from using PENTAX? Or are you saying that us who shoot with PENTAX are hipsters using overpriced cameras with a lack of features?
@@KobieMC well I dont personaly know anybody who owns and uses a dedicated camera or is interested in photography as an art so that makes me a hipster in that realm and buying and shooting with dslrs in ad 2023 is a choice i made mostly out of a preference for not doing the mainstream Sony/Canon thing which again makes me a hipster About the features I was referencing your points...for me as a beginner im not much bothered by it since i dont have the skill or professional need where this would be an issue i had to overcome to better myself/do my job reliably I maintain that going for Sony a6600+their 200-600mm for wildlife would be the utilitarian choice but Im happy with k70+150-450mm regardless
10:59 just before you make this point there was a Sony Alpha ad 😂 I love Pentax but the K3 III at those prices is a hard sell even though Ricoh should be applauded for their improvements via firmware. Here in the Philippines you can get a Canon 5D III in mint secondhand for around 600USD, Olympus OMD EM1 III can be had new for around 1000USD. So understand the caveats that would come with any recommendation. Even though it makes no financial sense though the K3 III is still something I’d love to own
I appreciate your info packed videos on the K3 III. Thinking about finally upgrading from my K3, after having used it for over 9 years. I also have some great lenses and flashes for Pentax. Mostly actual Pentax gear so it makes the most sense. The improvements will help with my wildlife and astrophotography so I’m excited to place my order. It’s currently $1700 at B&H. Can you suggest which SD cards will be sufficient for both slots? Thanks again.
Thank you for the review, but there is one thing that concerns me and I can't find an answer: off-camera flash. My K-5 had a pop-up that I used as a control to fire my 540FGZ remotely. Can the K-3 use a shoe mounted flash for the same purpose and do I need another 540 or can I use the cheeper 201FG as the control? If you have any ideas or suggestions I would be greatful.
Unfortunately, you would need either a 360 FGZ or 540 FGZ. The 201 doesn't do wireless control. www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/accessory/flash/af201fg/index.html
Are folks here confident K1 iii will be evtually coming out? I have a KR and bunch of lenses haven't used in years and thinking to jump back into Pentax... tough call between used versus new, K1 vs K3 versus wait for new K1!
It’s a great camera but very expensive especially when you compare the other cameras on the market and the other lens offerings. However I do like the Pentax colors
GPS. Show stopper for outdoors photography and field work. Using a fragile, antique flash-shoe-mount external GPS is idiotic (especially when it requires its own AAA battery instead of obtaining power from the camera), or draining my cell phone battery to run the app non-stop to provide GPS info, while the camera is going crazy trying to force-feed every photo I take into the phone, thus exponentially accelerating battery depletion in both the phone and the camera. I find myself both loving the camera for the new features, and hating it for the lack of a simple, $15.00 GPS patch. In the end, I want to trade it in for an old K3 Mark ii... or a new Sony or Nikon and dump Pentax completely. FIRE whoever the rocket scientist was who decided to remove the GPS from the K3 Mark iii! They destroyed the utility of the camera (which is targeted at outdoor photography) by REMOVING an important built-in feature that even the cheapest cell phone has, and which is an absolute necessity for on-the-move outdoor photographers who don't have the luxury of an assistant to take field notes of the location for each image. The removal of GPS from the K3 Mark iii is the SINGLE MOST IDIOTIC DECISION that I have ever suffered from in my 70 years of photography. Shove the embarrassingly out-of-date, cave-man-tech, coal-fired, steam-driven, antiquated O-GPS2 where the sun don't shine (Careful... It's quite fragile and might... make that WILL... break), and put a GPS IN the camera. Idiots! THIS should be built in to the K3 iii. Price per unit: $10-$12 each. www.alibaba.com/product-detail/SKG09BL-MT3337-NMEA-or-Custom-Protocol_60638507413.html
Why is yours force feeding every photo? Just turn that off that option. I've never had that issue. And the geolocation from the phone works great from my experience, just set it and forget it. I haven't seen any perceivable extra battery drain on either the camera or the phone while using Bluetooth for geolocation. I do get your frustration though, they absolutely should have just had it built into the camera.
Here's a random question: What are your (and anyone elses)thoughts and experiences on using the preset scene modes on dslr cameras. I do use some of them occasionally, as they are quick to change to and are more or less worked out by the boffins and pro pentax photograpers. They can take away the headache of trying to work things out. Maybe you could do a video testing them out.
The scene modes are okay if you shoot jpeg. The higher end cameras such as the K-3 III has no scene modes though. The K-S1/2, K-30/50, K-70/KF do though.
Not really seeing as they've added new features during the updates. They most likely had these planned already but not the time invested to test them thoroughly enough at launch, so they've incrementally added the features through firmware after it's been properly vetted and tested internally. Some of the big fixes absolutely have been through using feedback though.
I'm a Pentax fan from way back (starting with the K1000 in the film era in the 70s) I have a number of Pentax dslrs including the K1m2 and K3m3- have never done any firmware updates as I'm not much of a tech kind of guy and don't want to risk fixing something that is not broken. Since everything works, I'll keep on until there is a reason that makes me deal with it.
The improvements to both the K-1 II and K-3 III regarding the firmware is absolutely worth doing. It's very simple to do and I've been doing it for years from the K-200D to the K-30 to the K-3 and now K-3 III and never had an issue.
Damn! Two years shooting with the Pentax K3 Mark III? Do you shoot a mirror less camera and if not, did you ever give mirror less cameras a shot? Peace my friend.
I don't shoot mirrorless. I have tried them but I'm just not a fan of the EVF experience. I work in IT and when I'm doing photography, I want to disconnect from screens.
@@KobieMC I totally get it. In my opinion, I think a beginner photographer should learn on a DSLR until they can get down the basic premise of the exposure triangle. Mirror less cameras are great, but they do too much for you sometimes. I use to hate EVFs, but since they are so good now, it does not bother me as much anymore. However, an EVF can not top the clear view through a pentaprism in a DSLRs.
So if you have not updated in a while, if you download the latest update version, you are also going to download all the ones in between automatically, and don’t have to do each one incrementally, right?
Hi Kobie Been out today with K3iii with my Sigma 50-500mm os version to a falconry centre, it was overcast day which don't help I've been getting some nice images but still struggling a bit with birds in flight out of focus trying different af zones and points high shutter speeds in continuous and still not getting high keeper rate, unless you having same issues in whats your settings for birds in flight
My go to settings if there's anything that would be picked up in the background are AF.C EX M, first action in AF.C = focus priority, continuous action in AF.C = Release priority. Auto Focus Hold off. For clear (plain sky) bif shots, I'll use Zone AF.C. For horizontal panning I use AF.C SEL EX M with auto hold on L. The trick is to give the camera a sec to nail the focus (green hexagon) first before you fire the shutter. Also, I start between 1/1250 and 1/1600 sec and adjust shutter speed from there as needed.
Question: one of things I like about my KP for landscape is the tilt screen because of physical problems of getting low. How well is the K3iii screen visiable when viewing from a angle?
I haven't had an issue. Arms out front, crouch down to get close to ground level, or, arms down and hold the camera out like you're giving a gift to little kid. The K-3 III has a wide angle of view screen, BUT, it's not a replacement for a moveable screen.
I am wonder if there is a Price difference for the camera over in Canada. I just looked and it's at 15% off so selling for $1696.95 on Amazon in their Pentax store here in the US. When I bought it back in Oct. of 2021 I paid $1996.90 and it included the D-BG8 battery grip. So with the taxes it was $2123.76.
@@markodell5466 Yes it shot on my cell. During the later portion, I was using an Asus Wireless app that turns a phone into webcam. It's usually not glitchy though. But hopefully, one day I'll have a dedicated camera for video. The difficulty is that I do this all by myself.
You're overthinking the price / value capability of the K-3iii. Pick it up, indulge in its uber tactile quality and the cost falls away, use it, enjoy its effortless performance and its price / cost is a distant memory. Use it and enjoy it 😉
@@KobieMC yes and i could have looked closer. However, with xt5 coming in at the same price i think it is now fairly priced. Thanks for the video. I love mine as any shortcomings it may have don't affect me.
I think this camera will always be controversial/decisive and bizarrely it has nothing to do with the camera per se but the price tag it has assigned to it. On the one hand you have people like me, who look at the price (including optic prices and options available), weight it all up and then have a look around the entire market and compare, then based on features vs price/value come to some kind of conclusion. Then on the other hand you have a demography of people who are dead set against the competition options (totally not interested in anything other than Pentax), those that are not interested in video, EVF's and all that 'modern stuff' and are willing to pay the price for a faster Pentax camera. So I don't think the answer has changed much in the 2yrs, its still the same. The only way the answer changes is if the camera were selling for half of what it is now, but what an insult that would be to those that bought into it initially. So you can understand why the pricing has not changed that much. Pentax don't want to do that to their fanbase.
@@KobieMC The OM SYSTEMS cameras are beautiful precision made cameras albeit a different format , but I wish them well and like Pentax is trying to create their own niche user base i say thank god we have alternatives to the plastic lightweight cameras 🎥 of today.
It depends on what your priorities and preferences are. Some think a Porsche is too expensive for what it is compared to a Corvette, but lots of people buy the Porsches because it's what they prefer. By the way, I'll take 11-12 fps from the K-3 III compared to the Nikon Z5's 4.5 fps.
I wish you would stop making videos about this camera. I have been on the fence to buy one you are pushing me over the edge. I have two KP's, what do I need another camera for? That's what I tell myself. Seriousley, I do enjoy your video's, and yes, a K3iii is probably in my future.
The KP is such a good camera that unless you need faster AF and higher frame per second shooting, Invest in lenses and wait for the K-3 III to come down more in price in a couple of years or so.
I don't have a KP but I do have a k10d, k5, k3 and k3iii. I would echo Kobie's statement and add that if you rely on the tilt screen then stick with the KP. The k3iii is absolutely fantastic to use, superior in so many ways than my k3 and feels like a million bucks to hold and use and look through. And then I go to take a macro photo I'm live view and the screen is fixed and I have trouble seeing what I'm doing. 😅 The camera would be absolutely perfect if it only had a tilt screen.
Hi! I know k1 ii is the best for landscapes, but the k3 iii has so many new features and menu and nice design, would it be good enough for landscapes too? i can live with fixed screen.
The K-3 III is perfectly fine for landscapes. But since it's not a full frame camera, it won't have as wide an angle of view. But otherwise, it'll do well. Plus the touchscreen tap to focus/shoot is handy.
@@KobieMC 16mm aps-c is wide enough for my landscape photography needs, besides there're even wider lenses if i ever need it. Another thing is its menue so nice looking, but iits settings so complex, is it difficult to learn? I had k70 which i sold already, i knew its settings inside out. will my k70 experience be enough in learning it? A silly question may be, but it's important for me to learn it quick.
@@sovu9399 It's 100% different than the K-70. There's a K-70 vs K-3 III menu table that Ricoh released which may help. www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/pdf/k-3-3_06.pdf
I am also a K3iii user for 2 years. For me, Pentax offers the perfect combination of ergonomics, quality and features that make the cameras worth the money. Yes, there are cameras that are comparable and/or have better features but none combine all of them in a way that Pentax does. I came to Pentax just over 3 years ago after romances with Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony and Olympus/Panasonic. With Pentax it was, and still is love. I don’t care that they say the system is outdated and without a future. It gives me joy of taking pictures and that’s all that counts.
Hello Kobie there’s one other thing about the camera. It’s the haptics. I do just love how this camera feels when I hold it in my hands.
⭐️ I’ve watched a whole slew of your videos over the last week or so as I consider whether to upgrade from my K3ii and this one has clinched it - yes 👍 - your videos are presented very well in an easily relatable manner and you manage to cram a whole lot of useful info in a short space of time - subscribed ⭐️ thanks 👍
Thank you so much!
I totally love it and have absolutely no desire to change it for anything else. Okay it lacks the tilt
screen but on the rare occasion where I know that one would be beneficial I take my KP which I consider to be underrated. I enjoyed your review, it was well balanced and thought out
Really is an underrated camera. Really hope they'll make a successor to the KP.
I think you meant tilt screen?
It's good that they showed this video. I remembered that I had not changed the firmware of my camera for a long time. Thanks!
..I've been with Pentax since the '70s and will probably stay that way until the end! :)
I had adventures with other systems out of pure curiosity, but somehow they didn't win my heart !!! :)
I am exactly like you. Been with Pentax since the ME was introduced in the 70’s. I just can’t find a good reason to leave the system. My wife shoots with Sony. Definitely not for me. I truly enjoy the whole shooting experience with a Pentax DSLR.
In the UK the K3 iii new sells for around £1500-£1600. A Nikon D500 for anything between £1500 to £1800. So here at least it is now competitive for the money.
Coming from the K3 to the K3iii, it's so much of an upgrade that it feels odd to call it a K3 one thing you didn't mention is the viewfinder, which is a huge improvement over earlier Pentax cameras. One day I'll hire a mirrorless camera to get a comparison. I tried a bunch of mirrorless cameras in Tokyo but I really didn't like the electronic viewfinders. I hate the electronic viewfinder on my camcorder, but it's better than not having one. The problem is that I can see distant objects with my eyes through a DSLR, but with an electronic viewfinder, they become invisible.
In my first review I went over the viewfinder. EVF's have come a long way. But I still prefer the natural view of an OVF.
@Kobie M-C fair enough. You mentioned a bunch of things a second time and I think it's worth reminding people that the viewfinder is a lot better. After two years of using the camera, you tend to take it for granted, but it's much easier to see critical focus with the K3iii viewfinder compared to the K3.
@Kobie M-C I was actually surprised how poor the image quality was in the EVFs I tried from Canon, Nikon, Fuji, Sony and Panasonic.
@mipmipmipmipmip I don't remember the exact models which I tried in Tokyo, but the Sony was a high end one, as were the Panasonic, Fuji, Canon and Nikon.
Got mine as soon as it was released. I haven't had the opportunity to use it as much as I would have liked over the last two years. That is my main regret. I really need to get out more!
A great summation from the man who’s channel is the go to for anything Pentax related end of story. I recently got the K3iii , and I have the KP you could wax lyrical all day long about the difference between them but it comes down to nothing comes close to a Pentax in the DSLR world if you want to mention the Nikon D500 then like other pundits keep calling it the King , but I say the King is dead long live the King which is of course the Pentax K3 iii.😂
I've had mine for about two months now. I feel like it would be the perfect camera if it had a tilt screen. Of course a lower price is always welcome. I agree with the other viewer who said it is the "perfect combination of ergonomics, quality and features." (Well, almost perfect...again, tilt screen) It is difficult to articulate why I prefer Pentax. It's one of those "greater than the sum of its parts" things. It is just fun to use. Unfortunately the joy of using it is not something easily marketed, even if Pentax advertised. Specs are what sells cameras. But Pentax is more a feeling and an experience than it is numbers on paper. It's like why do people drive Jeeps with two doors, soft tops, no interior space, loud uncomfortable interior, terrible fuel economy and road manners? They are a terrible everyday vehicle, yet people drive them and love them. Now Pentax cameras unlike Jeeps on the street are actually good at what they do. They are good cameras, full stop. But on paper other cameras have better road manners and fuel economy: better AF, EVFs which some prefer now, lower cost. But the Pentax is just more fun for many of us, and that's what matters. And now with the K-3iii we finally have a camera that can do any genre of photography. It's not just a "portrait and landscape" brand.
That JEEP analogy was perfect!
Great video! The price has now come down a tiny bit. People often say, "if you're already invested in Pentax lenses." But I think if you consider the price of the lenses, even if you aren't buying them new, then I think the total system cost is a lot lower than the competition. I could get a Canon or Sony body for a bit cheaper with comparable core features, but anything that would compete with my 300 prime would cost thousands of dollars more.
I Love it. The K3iii is better than I expected and I was really looking forward to the release. :)
I just received my used K-3 Mark iii and it has firmware v1.01. I'll update it to the current newest tonight (2.11 as of Dec 6, 2023) when I crawl home from work. I can't wait to go play with my new to me camera (I traded my K-1 mark ii, its battery grip, and my K-3 mark ii for this used K-3 mark iii). While I was waiting on this camera to ship, I used my K100D Super and realized I've gotten weak in my photography skills because of the power of a modern camera. Never loose your roots!
I had a chance to actually have a proper look at a K3 iii about 18 months ago and yes it was very nice indeed. However, for me it fell short of what I want a camera to do for me, so instead of upgrading my K3 mk1 or KP, I kept them and bought a K1 ii instead as it offered more to me as an upgrade for the type of photos I like to take (landscape and still life) than the K3 iii would. The K3 mk1 I keep partly for nostalgia, as it was the first serious digital camera I bought, and partly as it has a very useful built in flash with great functionality which I find particularly handy for fill in and for macro use. The KP I keep because of its nice compact body and good low light performance. Again it has a built in flash, but it's just not as good as the K3s'. The K iii would mean one of these still excellent cameras would have to go and it would not add, indeed it would detract in some areas, to my photo output.
I’ve only ever used Pentax ! Just love them and the K3iii best!!!!!
Thank you for this video. I still have a K3. I would like the Mark3 but it's expensive. That said, I can't see myself switching systems.
Ok Kobie a totally awesome Pentax camera the wildlife tracking is fantastic.it completely gets pictures my K3-11 would not be capable of achieving.
Thank you for the great review. Also fantastic intro very nicely done.
I like my K3-III, for me it's a fantastic camera. When i go out with a Sigma 17-35mm ART, this mix with my K3-III is Fantastic.
Nice vid as always! Keep up the good work! side note loving my DJI osmo 3. It has a web cam feature that I haven't tried yet...maybe soon. cheers!
Is it worth it? No. For non Pentaxian it is not. For Pentaxian depends. If you have only or mostly DA lenses, sure. Otherwise wait for K-1 Mk III.
If you are not Pentaxian and want DSLR, wait for K-1 Mk III. Unless you want, for whatever reason, APS-C camera.
This is very specialised camera, action camera (it does other things good, sure), but it is very specialised camera that has no specialised lenses for it to work with on a level you would expect from it. It makes it really bad choice. Yes, it does work with current len lineup, even with Old lenses that still use screwdrive or SDM if you know what you are doing. But experience is substandard. At best. Test it against Nikon or Canon with equivalent pro-level long zooms and it is eye opening experience. Still, they do not have OVF.
Do I regret getting K-3 Mk III. No, it works for my needs (plane spotting) relatively well. Notice - relatively.
Would I buy it 2 years ago if I knew about it what I know now? Probably. Not becasue it is great camera, but becasue it has OVF and Pentax is only system currently that at least promises that there will be future cameras with OVF. Which I find more important then better AF, faster lenses etc.
But if OVF is not a must, get Canon. Fuji. Whatever. You Will be happier.
Like yourself I invested in Pentax many years ago, looking back would I do it again probably not. At this time it would be too expensive to start all over again.
Let's stop saying, that Pentax cameras are only for existing Pentaxians. Pentax is for enthusiasts. It's pleasure to use and gives solid image quality. Stop talking about stuff like "investment in lenses" - we do it for fun and not to compensate the expenses or so... - we're hobbyists after all 😀
Just use what suits and go and enjoy taking good images. There are shot load of camera bodies out there that atre more than capable for little money with good glass of course.
Spend money instead on travelling to kool placs that new gear unlesss your a pro making good money and needs must.
11 firmware updates if we include the recent 1.80. That's 1 update more than the next "most updated", the K-5 (10 updates, in about 4 years if I'm not mistaken); and they didn't stop updating the K-3iii.
I've held off so far but like you I am surprised that the price is still so high.
I'm not surprised that the price is still high. Everything has gone up in price.
non falling price and lack of feature wont break my dedication to be a hipster withing a hipster hobby
Photography is a hipster hobby? I'm not sure exactly what you mean.
Are you saying that non failing price and "lack of feature" won't stop you from using PENTAX? Or are you saying that us who shoot with PENTAX are hipsters using overpriced cameras with a lack of features?
@@KobieMC well I dont personaly know anybody who owns and uses a dedicated camera or is interested in photography as an art so that makes me a hipster in that realm and buying and shooting with dslrs in ad 2023 is a choice i made mostly out of a preference for not doing the mainstream Sony/Canon thing which again makes me a hipster
About the features I was referencing your points...for me as a beginner im not much bothered by it since i dont have the skill or professional need where this would be an issue i had to overcome to better myself/do my job reliably
I maintain that going for Sony a6600+their 200-600mm for wildlife would be the utilitarian choice but Im happy with k70+150-450mm regardless
10:59 just before you make this point there was a Sony Alpha ad 😂 I love Pentax but the K3 III at those prices is a hard sell even though Ricoh should be applauded for their improvements via firmware. Here in the Philippines you can get a Canon 5D III in mint secondhand for around 600USD, Olympus OMD EM1 III can be had new for around 1000USD. So understand the caveats that would come with any recommendation. Even though it makes no financial sense though the K3 III is still something I’d love to own
I appreciate your info packed videos on the K3 III. Thinking about finally upgrading from my K3, after having used it for over 9 years. I also have some great lenses and flashes for Pentax. Mostly actual Pentax gear so it makes the most sense. The improvements will help with my wildlife and astrophotography so I’m excited to place my order. It’s currently $1700 at B&H.
Can you suggest which SD cards will be sufficient for both slots? Thanks again.
Thank you! I use 2 different cards. For slot 1 I use a Lexar Pro 1066x and for slot 2 I use a SanDisk Ultra card.
@@KobieMC Thank you!
Thanks Kobie might have to grab one
Thank you for the review, but there is one thing that concerns me and I can't find an answer: off-camera flash. My K-5 had a pop-up that I used as a control to fire my 540FGZ remotely. Can the K-3 use a shoe mounted flash for the same purpose and do I need another 540 or can I use the cheeper 201FG as the control? If you have any ideas or suggestions I would be greatful.
Unfortunately, you would need either a 360 FGZ or 540 FGZ. The 201 doesn't do wireless control.
www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/accessory/flash/af201fg/index.html
Are folks here confident K1 iii will be evtually coming out? I have a KR and bunch of lenses haven't used in years and thinking to jump back into Pentax... tough call between used versus new, K1 vs K3 versus wait for new K1!
One day a new full frame will come. I hope.
I just wish Ricoh would release some of those firmware updates for the K1MII. They’ve been very thin on the ground.
I have the k-70 and really want to upgrade to this. It’s in the cart 😅
It’s a great camera but very expensive especially when you compare the other cameras on the market and the other lens offerings. However I do like the Pentax colors
I still really enjoy my Pentax K-1 . Though I could not depart with it, Nikons are still more reliable.
Interesting. I shot Nikon and found them to be very unreliable. But, I guess it can happen with anything really. You win some, you lose some.
@@KobieMC Fair point.
GPS. Show stopper for outdoors photography and field work. Using a fragile, antique flash-shoe-mount external GPS is idiotic (especially when it requires its own AAA battery instead of obtaining power from the camera), or draining my cell phone battery to run the app non-stop to provide GPS info, while the camera is going crazy trying to force-feed every photo I take into the phone, thus exponentially accelerating battery depletion in both the phone and the camera. I find myself both loving the camera for the new features, and hating it for the lack of a simple, $15.00 GPS patch. In the end, I want to trade it in for an old K3 Mark ii... or a new Sony or Nikon and dump Pentax completely.
FIRE whoever the rocket scientist was who decided to remove the GPS from the K3 Mark iii! They destroyed the utility of the camera (which is targeted at outdoor photography) by REMOVING an important built-in feature that even the cheapest cell phone has, and which is an absolute necessity for on-the-move outdoor photographers who don't have the luxury of an assistant to take field notes of the location for each image.
The removal of GPS from the K3 Mark iii is the SINGLE MOST IDIOTIC DECISION that I have ever suffered from in my 70 years of photography. Shove the embarrassingly out-of-date, cave-man-tech, coal-fired, steam-driven, antiquated O-GPS2 where the sun don't shine (Careful... It's quite fragile and might... make that WILL... break), and put a GPS IN the camera. Idiots!
THIS should be built in to the K3 iii. Price per unit: $10-$12 each. www.alibaba.com/product-detail/SKG09BL-MT3337-NMEA-or-Custom-Protocol_60638507413.html
Why is yours force feeding every photo? Just turn that off that option. I've never had that issue. And the geolocation from the phone works great from my experience, just set it and forget it. I haven't seen any perceivable extra battery drain on either the camera or the phone while using Bluetooth for geolocation. I do get your frustration though, they absolutely should have just had it built into the camera.
No other camera has what this camera has
New firmware out!! 1.8
Here's a random question: What are your (and anyone elses)thoughts and experiences on using the preset scene modes on dslr cameras. I do use some of them occasionally, as they are quick to change to and are more or less worked out by the boffins and pro pentax photograpers. They can take away the headache of trying to work things out. Maybe you could do a video testing them out.
The scene modes are okay if you shoot jpeg. The higher end cameras such as the K-3 III has no scene modes though. The K-S1/2, K-30/50, K-70/KF do though.
Just a thought, do you think all the version updates is kinda like using customers to do testing?
Not really seeing as they've added new features during the updates. They most likely had these planned already but not the time invested to test them thoroughly enough at launch, so they've incrementally added the features through firmware after it's been properly vetted and tested internally. Some of the big fixes absolutely have been through using feedback though.
I'm a Pentax fan from way back (starting with the K1000 in the film era in the 70s) I have a number of Pentax dslrs including the K1m2 and K3m3- have never done any firmware updates as I'm not much of a tech kind of guy and don't want to risk fixing something that is not broken. Since everything works, I'll keep on until there is a reason that makes me deal with it.
The improvements to both the K-1 II and K-3 III regarding the firmware is absolutely worth doing. It's very simple to do and I've been doing it for years from the K-200D to the K-30 to the K-3 and now K-3 III and never had an issue.
Damn! Two years shooting with the Pentax K3 Mark III? Do you shoot a mirror less camera and if not, did you ever give mirror less cameras a shot? Peace my friend.
I don't shoot mirrorless. I have tried them but I'm just not a fan of the EVF experience. I work in IT and when I'm doing photography, I want to disconnect from screens.
@@KobieMC I totally get it. In my opinion, I think a beginner photographer should learn on a DSLR until they can get down the basic premise of the exposure triangle. Mirror less cameras are great, but they do too much for you sometimes. I use to hate EVFs, but since they are so good now, it does not bother me as much anymore. However, an EVF can not top the clear view through a pentaprism in a DSLRs.
So if you have not updated in a while, if you download the latest update version, you are also going to download all the ones in between automatically, and don’t have to do each one incrementally, right?
That is correct, each new firmware update includes all the older updates as well.
@@KobieMC thanks bud.
Hi Kobie Been out today with K3iii with my Sigma 50-500mm os version to a falconry centre, it was overcast day which don't help I've been getting some nice images but still struggling a bit with birds in flight out of focus trying different af zones and points high shutter speeds in continuous and still not getting high keeper rate, unless you having same issues in whats your settings for birds in flight
My go to settings if there's anything that would be picked up in the background are AF.C EX M, first action in AF.C = focus priority, continuous action in AF.C = Release priority. Auto Focus Hold off. For clear (plain sky) bif shots, I'll use Zone AF.C. For horizontal panning I use AF.C SEL EX M with auto hold on L. The trick is to give the camera a sec to nail the focus (green hexagon) first before you fire the shutter. Also, I start between 1/1250 and 1/1600 sec and adjust shutter speed from there as needed.
@Kobie M-C Ok Kobie thanks for info will try again when I get a chance, much appreciated 👍
Is it easy to manual focus with the viewfinder? I am interested by the monochrome version for my m42 lenses. Thanks
Surprisingly easy. The size, sharpness and brightness of the viewfinder made a big difference for manual focusing.
Question: one of things I like about my KP for landscape is the tilt screen because of physical problems of getting low. How well is the K3iii screen visiable when viewing from a angle?
I haven't had an issue. Arms out front, crouch down to get close to ground level, or, arms down and hold the camera out like you're giving a gift to little kid. The K-3 III has a wide angle of view screen, BUT, it's not a replacement for a moveable screen.
If you rely on a tilt screen then you will miss it sorely in the k3iii. It's the camera's only major fault in my opinion.
What is the status with the K3 III when it comes to tethering to a laptop?
Pentax Image Transmitter software, or WiFi Commander.
I am wonder if there is a Price difference for the camera over in Canada. I just looked and it's at 15% off so selling for $1696.95 on Amazon in their Pentax store here in the US. When I bought it back in Oct. of 2021 I paid $1996.90 and it included the D-BG8 battery grip. So with the taxes it was $2123.76.
Interesting, $1696.95 works out to $2308.44 CAD +13% tax.
@@KobieMC Thank you and that's a lot of tax. Wow.
@@loco0351 Ya, it ain't economical living here lol
So you’re using your cell phone to make this video?
@@markodell5466 Yes it shot on my cell. During the later portion, I was using an Asus Wireless app that turns a phone into webcam. It's usually not glitchy though. But hopefully, one day I'll have a dedicated camera for video. The difficulty is that I do this all by myself.
You're overthinking the price / value capability of the K-3iii. Pick it up, indulge in its uber tactile quality and the cost falls away, use it, enjoy its effortless performance and its price / cost is a distant memory. Use it and enjoy it 😉
Eh, to me, it was absolutely worth it. I'm not over thinking anything. Just putting myself in others shoes.
Amazon shows it at $1697. not sure how you missed that. B&H and Andorma as well. Might change your opinion....
Canadian pricing?
No us but that was not clear in your video. I think at that price it is competitive.
@@jimmm18 I thought e saying "Amazon.ca since I'm in Canada" was pretty clear. I suppose I could have elaborated on that though.
@@KobieMC yes and i could have looked closer. However, with xt5 coming in at the same price i think it is now fairly priced. Thanks for the video. I love mine as any shortcomings it may have don't affect me.
I think this camera will always be controversial/decisive and bizarrely it has nothing to do with the camera per se but the price tag it has assigned to it.
On the one hand you have people like me, who look at the price (including optic prices and options available), weight it all up and then have a look around the entire market and compare, then based on features vs price/value come to some kind of conclusion.
Then on the other hand you have a demography of people who are dead set against the competition options (totally not interested in anything other than Pentax), those that are not interested in video, EVF's and all that 'modern stuff' and are willing to pay the price for a faster Pentax camera.
So I don't think the answer has changed much in the 2yrs, its still the same. The only way the answer changes is if the camera were selling for half of what it is now, but what an insult that would be to those that bought into it initially. So you can understand why the pricing has not changed that much. Pentax don't want to do that to their fanbase.
I want an OM 1. For real.
@@KobieMC The OM SYSTEMS cameras are beautiful precision made cameras albeit a different format , but I wish them well and like Pentax is trying to create their own niche user base i say thank god we have alternatives to the plastic lightweight cameras 🎥 of today.
Watching it with 33 minutes delay on my TV.
Pentax next act? Hybrid of some sort. Upgrade to the K-1?
The hybrid is what we've been hoping for! They better do it!
K1 I think has had 19 firmware over longer period...
But out of those, only 9 really brought new features.
The K-3 Mark III has had 10 firmware updates which have added new features and vastly improved camera performance.
Even K3 mark ii woth it in 2023, 2024, 2025 and even later!
It’s just too darn expensive for what it is. With the Nikon Z5 new at 999$….. it’s just hard to justify this camera.
It depends on what your priorities and preferences are. Some think a Porsche is too expensive for what it is compared to a Corvette, but lots of people buy the Porsches because it's what they prefer. By the way, I'll take 11-12 fps from the K-3 III compared to the Nikon Z5's 4.5 fps.
I wish you would stop making videos about this camera. I have been on the fence to buy one you are pushing me over the edge. I have two KP's, what do I need another camera for? That's what I tell myself. Seriousley, I do enjoy your video's, and yes, a K3iii is probably in my future.
The KP is such a good camera that unless you need faster AF and higher frame per second shooting, Invest in lenses and wait for the K-3 III to come down more in price in a couple of years or so.
I don't have a KP but I do have a k10d, k5, k3 and k3iii. I would echo Kobie's statement and add that if you rely on the tilt screen then stick with the KP. The k3iii is absolutely fantastic to use, superior in so many ways than my k3 and feels like a million bucks to hold and use and look through. And then I go to take a macro photo I'm live view and the screen is fixed and I have trouble seeing what I'm doing. 😅 The camera would be absolutely perfect if it only had a tilt screen.
NO...
Hi! I know k1 ii is the best for landscapes, but the k3 iii has so many new features and menu and nice design, would it be good enough for landscapes too? i can live with fixed screen.
The K-3 III is perfectly fine for landscapes. But since it's not a full frame camera, it won't have as wide an angle of view. But otherwise, it'll do well. Plus the touchscreen tap to focus/shoot is handy.
@@KobieMC 16mm aps-c is wide enough for my landscape photography needs, besides there're even wider lenses if i ever need it.
Another thing is its menue so nice looking, but iits settings so complex, is it difficult to learn? I had k70 which i sold already, i knew its settings inside out. will my k70 experience be enough in learning it?
A silly question may be, but it's important for me to learn it quick.
@@sovu9399 It's 100% different than the K-70. There's a K-70 vs K-3 III menu table that Ricoh released which may help.
www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/pdf/k-3-3_06.pdf
@@KobieMC oh, thank you for the link and for the advice.
Then Pentax k3iii it is.
I will learn from your tutorials too:)
Best Regards
Adam