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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 was 780 €;

60 users have given it an average vote of 9.4 out of 10

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 (pixel pitch 3.92 μm)
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 all compatible lenses)
Stabilization	Yes
Autofocus (AF areas)	27
Continuos shooting	8.3 FPS
Pre-Burst	No
Live View	Yes
MLU/SS	Yes, Mirrok Lock Up
Video mode	1920x1080p @ 30 FPS
WiFi	No
GPS	No
Computing Features
ND Long Exposure	Yes, up to 2000 photos (ND11)
Pixel Shift	No
Focus Stacking	No
Startrail/Composite mode	Yes
Astrotracer	Yes (but it requires external GPS, not included with camera)
Camera body and built
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
Storage, Slot 2	not available
Battery	Pentax D-LI90, 13.39 Wh
Weather sealing	Yes
Weight	800 g
Dimensions	131 x 100 x 77 mm
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Reviews

What do you think about this camera?

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The following opinions have been automatically translated with Google Translate.

Emme Ph

sent on July 08, 2024

Pros: Tropicalized, stabilized sensor, double sd slot, second-hand price, for the year of release, Pentax was ahead of other more famous brands. Robustness of the machine body and materials. Excellent results at high ISO.

Cons: It's called Pentax.

Opinion: Taken used by a friend, I had been wanting a Pentax for a long time, always seen and followed by the keyhole, but like many others, I preferred to take other brands for work. Unfortunately and reluctantly Pentax is little followed, also because of their sales policy and little marketing. So little availability of third-party lenses and various accessories, you also want resaleability in case of up grade. Now, however, I am retired, and I am no longer interested in selling, buying and changing. I took the whim. Back at the K3, I was really impressed by the sturdiness of the camera as soon as I picked it up, the sound of the smooth shutter. The files are sharp and from tests done good performance at high ISO. Many functions that I have only seen in other brands arrive after years or at most have only on FF. It has dual SD slots, the focus as I use it is not slow at all. Always used with every camera the center point. (I feel good like this) if it is right or not, I am fine with using it in this way. Then the possibility of using old Pentax lenses without any type of adapter is not trivial, and each lens becomes stabilized, having the stabilizer on the sensor. I took it with an 18-135, also tropicalized, well balanced. What else can I say, I'm trying it, and to date I'm more than happy to have switched to this historic brand.

MesserColaf

sent on June 13, 2021

Pros: Robustness, WR, ergonomics, image quality, ease of use, battery, dual slot

Cons: Continuous autofocus

Opinion: It was love at first sight. I saw her on Subito and informed me in every way. A gorgeous REFLEX, a dizziness viewfinder and a thousand features that a professional should not give up, including simulation via small movements of the anti-aliasing filter sensor. The ergonomics, despite the weight, is perfect, keys and rings are all in the right positions. it's noisy, but efficient, it's bulky, but it doesn't miss anything, it's Pentax... This brand is a continuous hatred et amo. A story behind him that also envies Canon, but despite this it seems that no one cares about them, not even Pentax itself. Their site is obscene, the optical park and accessories is out of date, external software makes it worth it. But the car, the car really has everything, it's great and I recommend it to anyone who doesn't care about making videos. The k attachment is the same as the old Pentax, and this results in perfect backwards compatibility with vintage k lenses. I repeat, I recommend it, but it will be only you and her, without accessories, with few goals, but in love.

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!

There are 13 more reviews. Show all »

Photos taken with Pentax K-3

Seven among the Sassi

by Massimo De Padova
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HI RES 34.9 MP

Groningen

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61 comments, 5337 views

HI RES 3.5 MP

Grass Snake

by Robsit
57 comments, 9168 views

Comacchio

by Gabbia65
188 comments, 6712 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

Redstart

by Paolo.m
51 comments, 7830 views

Untitled Photo

by Sara1988
15 comments, 5730 views

Rectified and corrected

by Saverio Perrotta
99 comments, 7776 views

HI RES 21.1 MP

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Untitled Photo

by Sara1988
27 comments, 3120 views

HI RES 5.1 MP

Lilliput

by Massimo De Padova
21 comments, 1305 views

HI RES 25.8 MP

Fire on the Valleys

by Manaus1965
47 comments, 2404 views

The Mickey Mouse inside me

by Massimo De Padova
36 comments, 1454 views

HI RES 18.6 MP

Deer in wheat

by Thum
18 comments, 1824 views

Catalan-most beautiful villages in Italy

by Pier Giorgio Franco
27 comments, 2466 views

HI RES 8.2 MP

Steam locomotive

by Gabbia65
167 comments, 4596 views

HI RES 17.4 MP

Woman at work

by Massimo De Padova
33 comments, 1110 views

HI RES 15.7 MP

Great Spotted Woodpecker (female)

by Paolo.m
56 comments, 6473 views

HI RES 15.9 MP

Oudemansiella mucida 6509

by Alessandro Cale'
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Resplendent

by Francescoc
57 comments, 3888 views

HI RES 4.6 MP

M'illumino of immense

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136 comments, 4662 views

HI RES 24.1 MP

Etna_7

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40 comments, 4004 views

The hunter Celtic

by Gabbia65
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Marostica, chess game. Ingredient "pieces"

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HI RES 13.7 MP

Waiting for Spring 8369_87

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Aquilegia 2261

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Misty Forest

by Thum
22 comments, 460 views

Abbey Road revisited

by Massimo De Padova
16 comments, 1189 views

HI RES 14.4 MP

8905

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51 comments, 1593 views

Silvia in studio BN

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78 comments, 4457 views

HI RES 4.6 MP

Lewisia 1094_104

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57 comments, 721 views

Hoopoe with larva of cicada

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46 comments, 5553 views

HI RES 9.7 MP

Lily 9228

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74 comments, 880 views

Lily 1084

by Alessandro Cale'
58 comments, 753 views

Val d'Orcia, Chapel Madonna of Vitality

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50 comments, 3217 views

HI RES 12.6 MP

Hawfinches

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29 comments, 5120 views

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She

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30 comments, 1201 views

HI RES 33.5 MP

... Who are you?

by Alessandro Cale'
83 comments, 1939 views

Sharecropper

by Paolo.m
18 comments, 3244 views

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Reviews » Cameras » Cameras Pentax » Pentax K-3

Pentax K-3 : Specifications and Opinions

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Reviews

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Photos taken with Pentax K-3