Powerful, reliable photographer tool, which allows you to grow - high fun factor!

1300+ tripping in only two and a half months since the purchase, which is probably already in itself a statement of how much fun the K-3. By comparison with my old K-7 I have made in just five years 9800+ shots, and even that was not bad.

An art-heavy reviews the current APS-C DSLR flagship of Ricoh Imaging has no shortage. That is why I rather a pragmatic, informal review that emphasizes the photographing experience with the camera and the Pentax system and perhaps a little fear takes on Pentax involved.

"Fear of strangers" amateur photographers, the photographic trade and the photo trade press in this country often in this brand that was in the 1960s and 70s, so before Nikon and Canon aufrollten the market, on everyone's lips, and many in the form of such models as the K1000 (1975) the first encounter with the SLR photography brought. Unfortunately, the congenial Pentax LX (1980) came too late to Canikon the top dogs-existence in the professional segment to be contested - in a market where the professional aura of leading brands and their amateur models are offered for your heels, a serious strategic error. I allow myself this digression is not to somehow give the impression that you could not take pictures with the excellent established brands - Of course you can - but the eye for too long, that there is also off it great photo tools. Pentax has since those days anyway never stopped good, photographer oriented cameras to build. Since its acquisition by Ricoh, to continue the Pentax brand, you are now financially back into calmer waters. If you believe the figures published, Ricoh Imaging writes for the second consecutive year in the black, which can be regarded as a success, especially given the difficult market situation.

Of course, Canon and Nikon can refer to systems that satisfy every imaginable professional needs. Who, however, to its compact APS-C DSLR well studied compact, lightweight original lenses that do not cost a small fortune, will soon discover that the offer by no means so rich as anyone had imagined. Pentax takes seriously the APS-C format, with its size and weight advantages - your back will thank you for it. When Pentax has also understood that many DSLR photographers want to take their equipment with no regrets for outside, even when it rains, dust or something colder (with WR or AW lenses from Pentax range no problem). Or that ergonomics is not an end in itself but essentially affects the handling of a camera. In terms of robustness, feel and ergonomics, the K-3 is, in my class leader. The course can be experienced only once you've taken a Pentax this caliber in the hand, an experience which is most people are not given because they buy the first "plastic-fantastic" model of the big brands that you the seller at the counter represents.

The K-3 is primarily a camera for stills. A camera that runs on top form when it is shot in RAW format (DNG or PEF). Video can also be, but no one buys K. 3 The 24MP sensor (from Toshiba-production?) Already makes from consumer lenses for the best but would be even more high-quality professional glass in which it can exploit its reserves. Amenities default, the K-3 offers almost everything the heart desires of Still photographers. It is not pronounced sports camera, but the speed boost over my old K-7 and the higher hit rate with moving subjects are quite remarkable. The exposure accuracy has significantly risen. The rework my DNGs in Lightroom has died down enough in many cases only a few mouse clicks to get to impressive results. Fought the K-7 at ISO values ​​over 800 but significantly (especially in terms of noise), shooting at ISO 1600, and (with minor degradation) at ISO 3200 are easily made with the K-3.

Anyway, I'm sure I will have many more years of fun with the K-3 for my part. Image examples on the web, even at full resolution, which show the performance of this camera, there are now abound ...