Pentax K-3 hands-on review

Pentax K-3 at a glance:

• 24.3-million-pixel, Sony-made CMOS sensor


• 27-point AF (25 cross-type points)


• Fully weather-sealed magnesium-alloy body


• Compatible with SD cards, Flucards and Eye-Fi cards


• ISO 100-51,200


• Price: £1099.99 (body only)

Pentax K-3 – Introduction

While I think very highly of many of the DSLR cameras that

Pentax has released over the past few years, they have sometimes been hard to

distinguish from others. All have been excellent in their own right, but often there

has been little variation or any real standout features that would warrant

existing Pentax users upgrading to a new DSLR.

The new Pentax K-3 is very different. Significantly, the

camera uses a Sony 24.3-million-pixel CMOS sensor, which is presumably the same

sensor as that used in a number of other popular cameras, including the Sony

NEX-7 and Alpha 77. The 24.3-million-pixel resolution is a big increase from

the last four Pentax DSLR cameras – the K-5, K-30, K5 II and K5 IIS – which are

all 16-million-pixel models.

The new sensor lacks an anti-aliasing filter, which

means it has even greater resolving power than expected from a 24-million-pixel

sensor. For some users moiré patterning may be a concern, but Pentax has

developed an ingenious anti-aliasing effect by utilising the on-sensor image

stabilisation. When activated, the sensor moves during the exposure – not by

much, but just enough to blur the image by a pixel or two, which the company

claims produces the same effect as an anti-aliasing filter.

For the Pentax DSLR user, the increased resolution alone

is probably enough to warrant an upgrade, but the K-3 has so much more to it

than an improved sensor. It also has the potential to be a camera that can take

on, and beat, the dominance of Canon and Nikon.

Pentax K-3 – Key features

I look forward to testing the full capabilities of the

K-3′s 24.3-million-pixel sensor, particularly how much detail it can resolve and

whether the anti-aliasing sensor’s shift feature works in real-world tests.

With a maximum sensitivity of ISO 51,200, 14-bit raw capture and a very

impressive 8.5fps shooting rate, enthusiast photographers are well catered for.

Thanks to the K-3′s built-in sensor-based image

stabilisation, all lenses used on the K-3 are stabilised, regardless of whether

they are brand new or a 30-year-old manual-focus K-mount lens. The AF system is

another new feature. The system now has 27 AF points, 25 of which are cross-type.

The centre points are sensitive down to f/2.8, which allows for better focusing

speed and accuracy in low light with f/2.8 lenses. Although the number of AF

points may pale a little in comparison to the 51-point system that Nikon has

employed in its cameras for a number of years, 27 points should be more than

enough for most photographers, particularly as the key audience for the Pentax

K-3 isn’t going to be professional sports photographers.

Pentax K-3 – Build quality

One of the things we like about Pentax DSLRs is their

rugged nature. The Pentax K-3 is no exception, as it has a fully weather-sealed

magnesium-alloy body. More importantly, the range of Pentax WR (weather-resistant)

lenses is growing, and the K-3 can be bought with a variety of weather-sealed

lenses, including the standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 WR kit lens. A weather-sealed

battery grip and two weather-sealed flashguns are also available.

Also making the K-3 attractive to demanding

photographers is the durability of the shutter, which has been tested up to 200,000

actuations. This will be particularly appealing for those photographers keen to

take advantage of the K-3′s ability to create time-lapse videos at a 4K

resolution – and just in time for the new 4K high-definition televisions that have

arrived in shops recently. 

In the hand, the K-3 feels tough and strong. It has a

reassuring weight to it, without being overly large and heavy. All the buttons

are in logical places, and the camera should feel familiar to most DSLR

photographers, not just Pentax users

Like other recent Pentax DSLR cameras, the K-3 has a

100% optical viewfinder and an equally impressive screen. The 3.2in, 1,037,000-dot

screen is gapless, meaning there is no air between the screen and the

protective glass on the rear of the camera. The result is a screen that has reduced

reflection, and one that is bright, with rich colours and a good range of

contrast. It looked stunning in the pre-production sample of the camera that we

saw.

The build quality and the features listed so far already

make the K-3 appealing, but there are many more to entice those who may be

tempted to switch to Pentax from Canon or Nikon.

Pentax K-3 – Data and connectivity

The K-3 has a dual SD card slot for storing images and

to enable Pentax Flucards to be used. These SD-compatible cards essentially

give the Pentax K-3 Wi-Fi connectivity. Unlike Eye-Fi cards, which only offer

image transfer, Flucards allow for full control of the camera’s exposure

settings and focusing, as well as a mirrored live view display. The final

specification of what will be compatible with the Flucards has yet to be

finalised, although Android and iOS should both be supported. The images we saw

of a device operating the K-3 also showed a web-browser window, suggesting that

remote control via a web-based interface may be possible, although this will

most likely be via an ad hoc connection rather than being able to control the

camera from anywhere in the world via a computer.

The Pentax K-3 is also compatible with standard Eye-Fi cards

for those who just want to copy images via Wi-Fi. Getting images off the camera

in a more conventional manner is made faster with the addition of a USB port on

the side.

Pentax K-3 – First impressions

Pentax now has a full line-up of DLSR cameras, from the

K-50 and K-500, to the K-5 II and K-5 II S, with the new K-3 increasing its

range. Yet what is different is that the K-3 offers a real alternative, not

only in terms of resolution, but also in its feature set, which wouldn’t look

out of place on a professional DSLR camera.

If the resolution and image quality match what we have

seen from other cameras containing the Sony sensor, the K-3 could be a real

prospect for Pentax. It could help rebuild its DSLR brand, and provide a rival

for the ‘big two’ manufacturers by competing with them on the same level. I’m

really looking forward to testing this camera in the next couple of months.

The Pentax K-3 will be available in November, priced

£1,099.99 body only.

See product shots of the Pentax K-3

Pentax K-3 hands-on review