Pentax KP - is this the replacement for the K-3 series? ... Or is there a Pentax K-3 III in the works? It's a great-looking camera, but, it doesn't have the top-deck LCD, nor the dual...

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

It's a great-looking camera, but, it doesn't have the top-deck LCD, nor the dual card slots, nor a 3.2" LCD. So, I don't THINK it's a follow-on to the K-3 II. However, it has astounding high ISO numbers, doesn't it?

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

Here's the Pentax KP - which, currently, anyway - holds the brand's APS-C Mantel -

Pentax KP

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Chris T wrote:

It's a great-looking camera, but, it doesn't have the top-deck LCD, nor the dual card slots, nor a 3.2" LCD. So, I don't THINK it's a follow-on to the K-3 II. However, it has astounding high ISO numbers, doesn't it?

Pentax says they are working on a K-3ii replacement - but they are very secretive, so that is all we will know until they are ready to release it.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

rehess wrote:

Pentax says they are working on a K-3ii replacement - but they are very secretive, so that is all we will know until they are ready to release it.

They've already produced the K-3 II, RE … I'm looking for a K-3 III …

Where did you find this interesting lil tidbit? … The Pentax Forum? …

RE - I know you have a KP now, so let me ask you a few questions about it, okay?

First - tell me about the removable grip situation … you got three in the box - right?

Which is for what? … And which one do you use the most often?

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Chris T wrote:

They've already produced the K-3 II, RE … I'm looking for a K-3 III …

Pentax has consistently used the term "K-3ii Replacement", so that is the term I use. I doubt if it will be called "K-3iii" - I believe they will use another term to indicate more than a 'facelift'.

Chris T wrote:

Where did you find this interesting lil tidbit? … The Pentax Forum? …

Several interviews were posted after Photokina. I saw one in Pentax Forum and one in DPReview

Chris T wrote:

RE - I know you have a KP now, so let me ask you a few questions about it, okay?

First - tell me about the removable grip situation … you got three in the box - right?

Which is for what? … And which one do you use the most often?

There is no special function for the grips - just depends on which one feels best to the user. I've used the smallest one exclusively.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

rehess wrote:

There is no special function for the grips - just depends on which one feels best to the user. I've used the smallest one exclusively.

Any indication of what the new APS-C Pentax Flagship will be called then? … Perhaps, K-2???

Mention that in the Pentax Forum, RE - see if it sparks a light …

So, all those grips are, then - is three different sizes. NOT three different shapes, right, RE?

Okay, now the next question. Top ISO on the KP is said to be - what? … 812,000 - is it?

What's the highest you've ever used, again? … And, did you experience ANY noise at all, at that ISO?

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Chris T wrote:

Any indication of what the new APS-C Pentax Flagship will be called then? … Perhaps, K-2???

Mention that in the Pentax Forum, RE - see if it sparks a light …

Most of the speculation I've seen involves going off on a totally different pattern - perhaps "KC" or "C1" {this coming November is 100th anniversary of the founding of Asahi Optics - the company that started Pentax}

Chris T wrote:

So, all those grips are, then - is three different sizes. NOT three different shapes, right, RE?

The photo below shows the smallest grip mounted on the camera, and the two other grips to our left.

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

rehess wrote:

The photo below shows the smallest grip mounted on the camera, and the two other grips to our left.

So, they ARE three different shapes, then … it's all a matter of which feels more comfortable in your hand, eh? … Nice of Ricoh to provide this option, huh? …

Like that one on the left - think that one would be my size.

KC, RE - if any … can't see Pentax dropping the K … that denotes a Pentax model, right off - just as Fuji has the X … and Canon has EOS … and Sony has alpha (or a) … Nikon??? … just the "D" for digital - before # !!!

rehess Loc: South Bend, Indiana, USA

Chris T wrote:

Okay, now the next question. Top ISO on the KP is said to be - what? … 812,000 - is it?

What's the highest you've ever used, again? … And, did you experience ANY noise at all, at that ISO?

We noticed a bandit in our backyard last week, so I went out on our deck and took the two photos below; only light came from our house, maybe 25 feet away. Noise is obviously an issue, but I believe people focus too much on that; Dynamic Range, Color Depth, and color accuracy are also issues at high ISO values.

{ For example, look at the last set of photographs in
https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/02/10/pentax-kp-first-shots }

ISO 204800 SOOC {hand focused, "TAv" mode}

(Download)

ISO 819200 SOOC {hand focused, "M" mode to get lighter image}

(Download)

Chris T Loc: from England across the pond to New England

rehess wrote:

We noticed a bandit in our backyard last week, so I went out on our deck and took the two photos below; only light came from our house, maybe 25 feet away. Noise is obviously an issue, but I believe people focus too much on that; Dynamic Range, Color Depth, and color accuracy are also issues at high ISO values.

{ For example, look at the last set of photographs in
https://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2017/02/10/pentax-kp-first-shots }

So, that's the top - is it - on the raccoon? …

Not bad, is it? … Probably, not up to par w/ a D5 … but, useable … thanks, RE … NOW, I know …