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Pentax K-3 : Specifications and Opinions

The Pentax K-3 is a reflex camera with APS-C (1.5x) sensor and 24.3 megapixels manufactured from 2013 to 2015 (discontinued). The range of sensitivities, including ISO extension, is 100 - 51200 ISO and it has a continuous shooting (burst mode) of 8.3 FPS. The average price, when it has been added to the JuzaPhoto database, is 780 €;

54 users have given it an average vote of 9.3 out of 10

Pentax K-3, compare with:

Sensor
Format	APS-C, 23.5 x 15.7 mm (image ratio 3:2, crop factor 1.5x in comparison with FF)
Resolution	24.3 megapixel
ISO sensitivities	100 - 51200
File formats	JPEG, RAW
Esposure
Shutter speeds	30" - 1/8000
Exp. compensation	+/- 5 stops at 1/3 steps
Exp. modes	M, S, A, P, Scena
Metering modes	Multi-Area, Semi-Spot, Spot
Features
Mount	Pentax K (click here to view al compatible lenses)
Stabilization	Yes
Autofocus (AF areas)	27
Continuos shooting	8.3 FPS
Live View	Yes
MLU/SS	Yes, Mirrok Lock Up
Dust reduction	Yes
Video mode	1920x1080p @ 30 FPS
WiFi	No
GPS	No
Built and notes
Touchscreen	No
LCD	3.2", 640 x 480 pixels, fixed
Viewfinder	Optical, coverage 100%, 0.95x
Flash	Yes, guide number 13 meters
Storage	SD, SDHC, SDXC
Battery	Li-Ion
Weather sealing	Yes
Weight	800 g
Dimensions	131 x 100 x 77 mm
Buy	Pentax K-3, buy on Ebay

Reviews

What do you think about this camera?

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Ruggio

sent on January 03, 2021

Pros: Pro construction, tropicalization, double slot, 24mp quality

Cons: Iso seal, optical park

Opinion: It is necessary to contextualize the machine and its performance at the time of its exit, useless to compare it with recent models. As far as I'm concerned he gave great shots. The images are rich in details, with a good dynamic range and the files I find malleable. The construction is professional with excellent grip and controls in the right place. Tropicalization is excellent. Stabilization is useful even if it does not work miracles. Pentax tends not to stabilize the objectives by greatly sponsoring stabilization in the machine, however for models such as the k-5 or k3 stabilization in the machine I find it at the limit of sufficiency. The iso seal today is certainly poor but maybe it is aligned for the apsc sensors of the period. If you find a good used I find that it is still a good machine today, however it is necessary to make a reflection on the brand in general especially with regard to the optical park that turns out to be expensive, limited and largely dated.

Luigi131160

sent on January 18, 2020

Pros: Compactness, construction, impression of general solidity and impeccable construction, 24 mpxl of those as god commands, stabilizer on the sensor, astro tracer and I stop here.

Cons: Needless to say the optics, dear those of Pentax and not available for some years now those of third brands, consequently used market falsified by poor availability, indication of battery charge not always reliable, ignition from stand-by only from the shutter button.

Opinion: I had already had the K3 along with the two versions of the K5, then because of the impossibility of finding long optics that fell and switched to yellow/black. Some time ago I got the monkey back for Pentax and I found it used at a ridiculous price with which with yellow/black you do not buy us even an entry. Nothing new I had already had, but after 4 years returning to use it was fantastic, another story, beautiful file, deep, balanced, workable, usable very well up to 1600 ISO with good light even at 3200. It may not seem like much but by the way I mean a photo, since I almost always use the full format of the flagships, with the colleague dx top of the range of the other I have to stop at 800 ISO. Then I read metropolitan legends that speak of tens of thousands of ISOs shot in the wind but do not believe it, every scarrafone is nice à mamma soja but a scrabble if it is such, such remains. For those who love astrophotography the pursuit with gps you will find it only in the House Pentax and a fantastic thing. Fantastic what Pentax can make that sensor do, simulate an anti-alliasing filter for example, not to mention the stabilization in the car that is just coming from other parts and that here has been home for over 10 years. In short, a fantastic body but we come to the sore note, to the tooth that commutes, the optics. They are the real Achilles heel in the Pentax house, especially in the field of canvases where the choice is bad and expensive, the fact that third-party builders have abandoned it for a few years has undoubtedly cut the legs to the brand. Practically we are stopped at the sigmone out of production now for at least 3 years and whose availability is reduced to the light, and that light costs a lot. Another flaw is the AF that was in fact back to the time it was out and that now makes any comparison impossible with the others, you have to call us and know that with this brand you have to give up something. Another thing That I don't like is the fact that when it goes on stand-by it just comes out of the shutter button, for those like me who are used to using the af-on to focus forces you to give a shot to the shutter button first and then focus, which if you have to seize the moment is a stroke, but go to explain it. However, in the calculation of the whole, given the price of the used now, I would say that if you find it will be 3/400 shots spent well.

Buck81

sent on June 18, 2019

Pros: Solidity,functions,detail,double SD slots,image quality,sensor stabilizer,top tropicalization

Cons: In some situations of light rendered with some red/magenta tones,AF not precise to large openings

Opinion: I write this review in the face of different experiences with different brands. I like to experiment,so in so many years,I had some of the best products Nikon,Canon,Fuji.... and now,Pentax. Made the transition from Fuji (fantastic)to Pentax with many doubts,given the comments always rather skeptical or even disparaging. To get started, I took a K5.... it ended that I found myself so good that I almost immediately made the switch to K3. I'm not afraid to say that the K3, is overall the best reflex apsc of those years. Its solidity is unparalleled. Fits with a brush in your hand and all the keys are at your fingertips. There is no lack of function and, indeed, it has unique ones! Simulation of the AA filter, stabilized sensor, catch-in-focus and many more. With 24mpx, there is no shortage of detail. Compared to the K5, the noise is noticed 1 or 2 Stop before,but beware: It is not in the least annoying and always remains better than many others, even recent. The AF is definitely better than the K5, it is more responsive, precise and fast, but with very bright optics, it does not always center the exact AF point, also has the "defect" common to many reflexes, to have the AF points a little too concentrated in the center , but in any case they cover the frame quite well for the different shooting needs. Let's come to the sore note... I happened to take pictures of magenta-colored flowers. Well, in this case I was grounded by the surrender..... well, yes, there are no other words to say it: terrifying. It's going to be light, I don't know... but it was all split. I will do further tests and I hope it is my mistake. There's also the false myth that Pentax has a poor lens set, but that's not exactly the case. Its bayonet K unchanged over time,makes it possible to use as many optics as imaginable... and the Catch-in-Focus feature, makes the focus very simple and perfect. Beware, however, because some vintage optics have a "poor" yield to TA and therefore the machine struggles to be as precise as AF. The stabilizer, works on any optics and also works well!! It lacks the orientable screen,but in my opinion it is not a flaw. It would have "weakened" a structure that is otherwise as solid as Thor's hammer! I mean, she's an incredible reflex. Pentax does not deserve to be considered inferior to the others, because it is not so at all. The K3, it's great in every way!

EDstrg

sent on August 19, 2018

Pros: Compact, stabilised, tropicalized, excellent build quality, good high ISO seal

Cons: AF continuous embarrassing, non-orientable screen

Opinion: I had a K5, I tried it and I fell in love: Single AF decidedly improved, good yield to high ISO, improved ergonomics and live view finally usable in fashion; With various firmware upgrades It is also improved and now also has the ability to use the new lenses to KAF4 bayonet. The thing that impressed me the most are the files that are very malleable. Compared to the K5 the noise at high ISO occurs first (due to the denser sensor) but nothing terrifying; The single autofocus is definitely improved though unfortunately the continuous one continues to be the real weakness of the Pentax machines in general.

Puffulvio

sent on August 14, 2018

Pros: Beautiful, comfortable and light. Stabilized, tropicalized and seemingly durable. Very detailed images.

Cons: The con is me, because it has a myriad of functions that I will never get to use...

Opinion: In the order I had KS1, K50 (the only one I no longer have), K1 and now also K3, the silver edition, found used with 4,600 shots at a crazy price (for those who gave it, for me the so-called stroke of luck...). I use it in most cases with a 55-300 plm, while on the K1 I almost always have the 28-105 from kit, and after a few months of use I am struck by the incredible detail of the photos first. Very vivid colors, very sensitive autofocus even with little light and speed more than good, no matter what! I doubt that many of the critics speak by hearsay, as in the normally made use of a camera the Af of the K3 is enough and advances. I do not think that everyone does sports photography or birds in the air (without adding that this type of photo in addition to the lending machine wants technique that does not improvise...). Great burst. With the 40mm 2.8 limited it becomes tiny and offers an impressive total quality. High ISO? Definitely at the top of the leaderboard among the competitors. Also because, and it must be said once and for all, the Pentax in the instrumental tests turn out to be the only ones that have a perfect response between the isO indicated and the actual ones, when then the Fuji, which have the name of perfect machines in this area, happens that at 12,800 ISO set are actually less than 6,000... Do K3 files have noise? Perhaps less than commonly thought! Defects? Perhaps a few non-original optics, unfortunately! But Pentax has had enough and of excellent quality. It's not true that Pentax has a few optics, unless you need three different optics for brightness for every possible focal point

There are 11 more reviews. Show all »

Photos taken with Pentax K-3

Pruno and the drilled mountain

by Gabribocc
113 comments, 2503 views

HI RES 10.4 MP

Groningen

by Beli Mawr Pothos
60 comments, 2832 views

HI RES 3.5 MP

Grass Snake

by Robsit
51 comments, 6232 views

The magic of the forest

by Gabribocc
100 comments, 2335 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

Camaiore Lido

by Gabribocc
70 comments, 1463 views

HI RES 19.9 MP

Comacchio

by Gabbia65
180 comments, 3817 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

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Redstart

by Paolo.m
49 comments, 6007 views

The wall's march

by Gabribocc
62 comments, 1209 views

HI RES 19.2 MP

Barcelona as seen from the Falls Palace

by Gabribocc
68 comments, 1376 views

HI RES 23.3 MP

At the Sea of November

by Gabribocc
63 comments, 1121 views

HI RES 16.6 MP

Rectified and corrected

by Saverio Perrotta
88 comments, 5097 views

HI RES 21.1 MP

Sunrise at Camaiore lido

by Gabribocc
54 comments, 1106 views

HI RES 20.2 MP

Among the mushrooms and goblins

by Gabribocc
57 comments, 988 views

HI RES 18.8 MP

Sunset over Barcelona

by Gabribocc
52 comments, 879 views

HI RES 16.4 MP

Self-portrait

by Gabribocc
59 comments, 1248 views

HI RES 20.2 MP

Fire on the Valleys

by Manaus1965
44 comments, 1051 views

Great Spotted Woodpecker (female)

by Paolo.m
56 comments, 3974 views

HI RES 15.9 MP

Catalan-most beautiful villages in Italy

by Pier Giorgio Franco
27 comments, 1231 views

HI RES 8.2 MP

To the sea

by Gabribocc
50 comments, 869 views

HI RES 19.6 MP

Deer in wheat

by Thum
13 comments, 828 views

Based, that is, my country

by Gabribocc
52 comments, 846 views

HI RES 20.3 MP

The hunter Celtic

by Gabbia65
67 comments, 1789 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

Etna_7

by Eugenio Sacchetti
38 comments, 2868 views

The sun that faces

by Gabribocc
39 comments, 737 views

HI RES 20.2 MP

M'illumino of immense

by Gabbia65
136 comments, 2474 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

Steam locomotive

by Gabbia65
162 comments, 2456 views

HI RES 17.4 MP

Hoopoe with larva of cicada

by Paolo.m
46 comments, 3847 views

HI RES 9.7 MP

Arcodsi triumph and flare

by Gabribocc
41 comments, 614 views

HI RES 16.7 MP

Marostica, chess game. Ingredient "pieces"

by Gabbia65
85 comments, 1396 views

HI RES 13.7 MP

Hawfinches

by Paolo.m
29 comments, 3838 views

Val d'Orcia, Chapel Madonna of Vitality

by Gabbia65
48 comments, 1745 views

HI RES 12.6 MP

Resplendent

by Francescoc
52 comments, 1868 views

HI RES 4.6 MP

Heron .... us porovato

by Robsit
34 comments, 2749 views

Mosaic

by Al_ex
19 comments, 931 views

HI RES 6.2 MP

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Finch

by Paolo.m
36 comments, 1656 views

HI RES 11.3 MP

Sharecropper

by Paolo.m
17 comments, 2188 views

Silvia in studio BN

by Francescoc
73 comments, 2170 views

HI RES 4.6 MP

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