At first glance, the Pentax K-3 looks similar to the previous Pentax K-5 IIs, but the impression is deceptive: Technically, the Pentax K-3 brings a lot of changes, from the higher-resolution 24-megapixel camera, APS-C sensor and the new processor to the sensor shift, exposure meter and autofocus system – many of the components that are crucial for image quality and performance are new or revised.
Sensor and serial acquisition
At the price screw the manufacturer has not rotated: With around 1300 euros the recommended selling price for the Pentax K-3 about 50 euros over the price of the K-5 IIs, however several hundred euros over what the predecessor today, thus a Year after market start, online costs.
Magnesium housing
Although the Pentax K-3 works like the K-5 IIs with an APS-C sensor without low-pass filter, it is a new CMOS version with 24 instead of 16 megapixels. In addition, the K-3 has an additional feature on board: the two-step configurable "AA simulator", which should help to avoid moiré effects instead of the low-pass filter. The camera moves the sensor in micro-vibrations, resulting in minimal blurring in the image and, as the case may be, reduced moiré color gradients on evenly fine structures.
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At ISO 100 the AA simulator reduces the resolution by 100 LP / BH in the first stage, while in the second stage it is 200 LP / BH. At the same time the DL values of the Pentax K-3 fall by a good 300 or almost 450 LP / BH. We advise you to disable the AA simulation, as long as no moire effects occur or there is a greater danger.
Monitor and viewfinder
Pentax also uses three additional functions for the 3D image stabilizer, for an eight-level horizontal correction by a maximum of +1 degrees and for the new image cut-out adjustment
The latter is to simulate the effect of a shift lens by sensor shift. In principle, this is a good idea: the sensor displacement is only limited to just 1.5 mm - in practice, therefore, its usefulness should be limited. For comparison: the Shift lens Canon TS-E 3.5 / 24 mm L II allows a shift up to 12 mm, the Nikon PC-E Nikkor 3.5 / 24 mm D ED a correction up to 11.5 mm >
Pentax is able to make progress at the serial speed: it increases to 8.0 B / s at 27 JPEG with new mechanics and Prime III processor from 6.3 (K-5 II) and 6.6 (K-5 IIs) Images per series.
As with the K-5 IIs, the Pentax K-3 is largely made of magnesium alloy and with the rubberized, ergonomically shaped handle bight is secure and comfortable to hold. Thanks to 92 seals, splashing water and dust do not penetrate easily into the camera interior. In addition, the K-3 should remain functional even in icy temperatures down to -10 ° C.
The Pentax K-3 is therefore suitable for outdoor use in bad weather, together with a spray-water-protected lens. At Pentax, the corresponding lenses have the abbreviations DA *, DA-WR and DA-AW, whereas the DA * zooms have the fewest DA-AW models. New in the assortment is the weatherproof universal zoom HD Pentax DA 4-5,8 / 55-300 / ED WR for around 400 euros.
Instead of the single slot of the K-5 II (s), the Pentax K-3 offers a dual slot for two SDHC / SDXC cards. Depending on the setting, it can write RAW and JPEG or image and video data to separate storage media.
The Pentax K-3 is also one of the few current SLR cameras with a USB 3.0 interface, which allows an even faster data transfer with a suitable counterpart. There is, however, no integrated WLAN module for wireless communication with the smartphone and notebook.
As a replacement Pentax together with the Pentax K-3 on the market a specially developed WLAN card with 16 GB for about 100 euros on the market (FLU-Card O-FC1). In addition to the built-in flash-out flash with guide number 11, there is an accessory shoe and a cable jack for external flash units.
The effective magnification of the 100% viewfinder increases from 0.61x (K-5 IIs) to 0.63x (K-3), and the photographer can now adjust the diopter correction conveniently via a small dial above the LV button. It is not possible to show gridlines, instead Pentax sees the change of the screen.
Exposure Control
Also the fixed LCD monitor is slightly larger (3.2 instead of 3.0 inches) and solves with 345 667 instead of 307 000 RGB pixels a little finer. In contrast to previous K-models, however, the K-3 shows only a light and no shadow warning in the LV and playback mode and the histogram.
The Pentax K-3 covers the usual repertoire of (partial) manual modes, from the time and aperture to the program and full automatic, but as a semiprofessional designed camera, however, does not require the motif programs obligatory in the entry segment Br>
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Short exposures of up to 1 / 8,000 s allow room for shooting in bright surroundings, and the advanced setting options for the interval control allow pre-programmed series of up to 2,000 photos, created from 1 to 24 hours, or videos in pre-defined increments between 2 seconds And 1 h.
For the exposure metering, the Pentax K-3 has an 86,000 pixel sensor instead of the 77-point TTL system of the K-5 II (s). This is also used for white balance, which now either works with integral measurement on the entire image field or selectively with individual measuring fields.
Although Pentax has expanded the video mode with the manual exposure control, this function still makes a somewhat neglected impression: Continuous tracking - misalignment. The full-HD videos are blurred, detailed, and slightly darkened in the basic setting, and have a strikingly weak object contrast. In addition, the K-3 will sometimes refuse to use the camera when it is in the second ("2") but not in the first slot ("1")
Video recording
Proven operating concept
Image quality
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Conclusion
Despite numerous modifications, there is little change in the basic operating concept and comfort. The combination of direct access buttons (including ISO, exposure compensation, white balance), the quick overview, and the extensive main menu, allow the user to navigate quickly and efficiently with either the two dials for the index finger and thumb or the four-direction switch Can
Compared to the K-5 II (s), a key is added which, among other things, serves to switch between two inserted memory cards in the playback mode. In addition, the user now determines, using a lock rotary switch on the mode dial itself, whether it can be turned without a barrier or only when the lock button is pressed at the same time.
The Pentax K-3 has a significantly improved resolution of 16 to 24 megapixels. With an output of 1,743 LP / BH at ISO 100, the new is almost 300, while the 1,632 LP / BH at ISO 400 is still almost 200 LP / BH before Older K-5 IIs. This is consistent with relatively moderate noise (0.6 / 0.8 VN) and texture loss (0.3 / 0.7 kurtosis) for a clearly superior low-sensitivity result.
In the upper ISO range the Pentax K-3 can not hold the projection: the noise increases, and at the same time the detail resolution of the ISO-100 images is missing. ISO 400 and ISO 800 provide good image quality, but the difference to ISO 100 is greater than Pentax's. The dead-Leaves values are also falling rapidly with increasing sensitivity.
Much has changed with the Pentax K-3 and yet too little to speak of a significant advance. With ISO 100, the new sensor has a visibly higher resolution, but with increasing ISO values the measurement results fall too fast to the level of the predecessor K5II / K5IIs and the smaller sister K-30, also weather-proof. The detail drawing is more uneven than the one used by Pentax on the ISO levels.
The K-3 remains in the overall evaluation at the good level of the K-5 IIs and K-30 despite the faster serial speed and the second SD slot, since the tempos stroke hoped for by the new autofocus is also missing. The K3 is a good camera, but there is no compelling argument to move quickly from a K5 / II.
Pentax K-3
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