Pentax K-3 II Review

COMPLETE REVIEW

The Pentax K-3II is manufactured by Pentax Imaging Corp., a Japanese company which is owned by Ricoh, starting with 2011.

The K-3II is an APS-C DSLR and it was released in 2015. It is among the best and most affordable options you can find, if you’re not aiming for a full-frame image sensor camera.

Here are the main specifications for the Pentax K-3II:

• Dimensions (W x H x D): 131.5 x 102.5 x 77.5 mm
• Weight: approx. 785g (with the battery and one SD memory card)
• Image sensor size: APS-C, 23.5mm x 15.6mm
• Resolution: 24.35 megapixels
• Native ISO: 100 – 51,200
• Extended ISO: 100 - 51,200
• 3,2 in. LCD monitor (aspect ratio 3:2); approx. 1037K dots
• PRIME III image sensor
• Shutter speed: 1/8000 to 30 sec.
• Continuous shooting: 8.3 fps (JPEG up to 60 frames; RAW up to 23)
• Storage: dual SD/SDHC/SDXC
• Video recording: 1080p at 24/25/30/fps; 1280 x 720p –up to 60fps
• Built in GPS
• USB 3.0 port

You can check the full specifications here: http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/products/k-3-2/spec/

Design

The design of the K-3II is pretty similar to the previous K-3 version. This is a solid, quite bulky and heavy DSLR camera. It is weather-sealed, it has a magnesium-alloy frame and a deep grip. The K-3II doesn’t have a built-in flash anymore, but it comes with a built-in camera GPS. However, there are no WiFi or NFC. Overall, this is a sturdy piece of equipment, maybe a bit too big and heavy for some people, but with a firm grip and a durable construction.

It has a large optical viewfinder with a 100% field of view and a 3.2 in LCD screen with a resolution of 1,040.000 dots. The pentaprism viewfinder in this Pentax is among the best you can find, also in terms of brightness and clarity.

Features/Image & Video Quality

There are a few features that make the K-3II stand out when it comes to performance and capabilities. One of them is the Pixel Shift Resolution mode which helps you capture shots with more detail than in the conventional mode. The way it works is by shifting the sensor by one pixel/exposure, creating 4 shots and merging them into a 24MP image. The result is a more detailed, sharp and colorful image, with no moiré effects or color interpolation. The only drawback is that you end up with very large files when using this mode, but you can always disable the feature and use the camera in the standard mode, if you prefer it. The lack of a low filter also ensures you won’t experience color moiré in your images or videos.

Another impressive thing about the Pentax K-3II is that it can shoot continuously at a speed of 8.3 fps with a buffer of 60 JPEG images or 23 RAW ones.

The 1/8000 sec. shutter speed is also noteworthy, as is the shake reduction system that proves to be very useful for moving subjects, sports shots and so on.

The noise level is really decent and image quality is really flawless up to its higher sensitivity settings, when details suffer some deterioration (on an ISO 25600 or 51200 setting).

When it comes to video capabilities, the K-3II is nothing out of the ordinary. There is no 4K recording, and when recording in full HD, you can shoot at max. 30fps (or 25 or 24 fps, at your choice). You do get 60fps, but only for 1280 x 720p captures. Moreover, the auto focus is a bit slow and the overall quality is subpar. Audio-wise, the built-in mic does a decent job and you also have a microphone and a headphone jack.

The K-3II has dual memory card slots and you can use SD, SDHC, SDXC cards. There is also a USB 3.0 port and a micro HDMI one.

The Pentax K-3II is an interesting DSLR with both pros and cons. It has some unexpectedly impressive features and capabilities on one hand, while skimping on some basic benefits other counterparts include, such as the built-in flash, WiFi and NFC connectivity. Nevertheless, the Pentax K-3II is a great product, with appealing specs and a very affordable price.