In summary
Like its predecessor, the K-3 II provides an impressive array of controls and functions in a weather-resistant body that looks good, is compact enough for travellers and remains competitively priced. When coupled with a weather-resistant lens, the K-3 becomes a take-anywhere camera that will suit outdoors shooters.
Upgraders from compact digicams should note that the K-3 II is probably too much camera for them to handle. They would be better served by the cheaper and simpler K-S2.
Photographers who shoot a lot of video should probably give both cameras a miss, particularly if they’re looking for 4K movie support. Pentax DSLRs can record movie clips but they’re much better at shooting stills, for which they are ideally configured.
It’s a pity we didn’t have a better lens to test this camera with because so many other aspects of its performance were very good. The Pixel Shift Resolution function was quite impressive. Like the original K-3, the new camera is a pleasure to shoot with and its menu system is well designed and easy to read.
The integrated GPS module will be handy for travellers and we doubt many photographers would miss the built-in flash as the one in the previous model was quite weak. Continuous shooting speeds are fast enough to satisfy sports and wildlife photographers and the generous buffer memory deserves commendation.
In terms of value for money, there isn’t a weatherproof camera to match it when it comes to user-adjustable controls and functions; hence our Editor’s Choice nomination. But we’d recommend investing in a higher-quality lens that the kit zooms.
Full review
When you’re on a good thing, stick to it; that seems to be Ricoh Imaging’s motto for the new Pentax K-3 II, which retains all the best features of the Pentax K-3 (reviewed in December 2013) but improves on the K-3’s weak points and adds a couple of handy features. The 24.35-megapixel sensor carries over into the new model, as does the anti-aliasing filter simulator, the magnesium alloy body and metal chassis, dual SD card slots and the D-LI90 rechargeable lithium-ion battery. But, under the hood some important things have changed.
Angled front view of the Pentax K-3 II with the SMC DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 ED AL [IF] DC WR lens. (Source: Ricoh Imaging.)
The K-3 II is available as a body only as well as in kit form with either the DA 16-85mm f/3.5-5.6 ED DC WR lens or the DA 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 WR zoom lens. We tested the camera with the smc Pentax-DAL 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR kit lens, which we reviewed with the Pentax K-50 in September, 2013.
Who’s it For?
Like its predecessor, the K-3 II provides an impressive array of controls and functions in a weather-resistant body that looks good, is compact enough for travellers and remains competitively priced. When coupled with a weather-resistant lens, the K-3 becomes a take-anywhere camera that will suit outdoors shooters.
Upgraders from compact digicams should note that the K-3 II is probably too much camera for them to handle. They would be better served by the cheaper and simpler K-S2.
Photographers who shoot a lot of video should probably give both cameras a miss, particularly if they’re looking for 4K movie support. Pentax DSLRs can record movie clips but they’re much better at shooting stills, for which they are ideally configured.
What’s New?
The main highlight of the new camera is the Pixel Shift Resolution System, which is similar to the system introduced in the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II but, unlike the Olympus system, doesn’t increase resolution. It promises dramatic improvements to the quality of images of immobile subjects (i.e. landscapes) when the camera is tripod mounted.
The system works by moving the sensor in one-pixel steps during a series of four exposures to record the complete colour data for each pixel. This effectively quadruples the number of red/blue pixels and doubles the number of green pixels, increasing the overall level of recoverable detail in the final processed image.
The resulting 24 megapixel image file contains the full colour values from each of the image sensor photosites. These images will have lower noise, more detail, more accurate colours and significantly lower risk of artefacts like moirø© than normal image files.
The Shake Reduction System now claims compensation for up to 4.5 stops (up from 3.5 stops on earlier models) thanks to an improved gyro sensor. In Live View mode, users can select the Composition Adjustment function and simulate the effect of a tilt/shift lens, using the arrow pad to shift the image up to 24 steps. (The adjusted composition is saved, even if the camera is turned off.)
The K-3 II also includes a built-in GPS module that enables geotagging and supports the Pentax Astrotracer function. A detailed electronic compass and location display can be viewed on the LCD screen.
The K3’s K-3 II built-in flash has been removed to make way for the GPS antenna but a hot-shoe is provided. Wi-Fi is not built in but the new camera supports wireless remote control from a smart device with the optional 16GB FluCard for Pentax.
What’s Not
Aside from the removal of the built-in flash, the body of the K-3 II and its control layout are almost identical to the K-3’s. The exterior casing (top and bottom panels and front and back frames) is made from lightweight magnesium alloy. It has a generous grip with rubberised cladding and a mode dial with selectable locking (on or off).
Ninety-two seals make it dustproof, weather-resistant and cold-resistant to temperatures as low as -10 °C. The shutter mechanism has been rated for 200,000 cycles, which compares with the durability of some professional cameras.
Features shared with the Pentax K3 include:
- Weather-sealed magnesium alloy body
- 24-megapixel APS-C sensor
- PRIME III image engine
- AA filter simulator
- Ultrasonic DR II dust removal
- Dual SD slots
- ISO 100-51,200 range
- Up to 8.3 fps burst shooting
- 27-point SAFOX 11 autofocus system
- 86,000-pixel metering with Pentax Real-Time Scene Analysis System
- Fixed 3.2-inch LCD screen with 1,037,000 dots
- Pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage and 0.95x magnification
- Full HD video recording with external microphone and headphone jacks
- Wireless tethering via the optional O-FC1 FluCard
Like the K-3, the K-3 II is compatible with the BG-5 battery grip (available separately). Current Pentax external flashes include the new AF201 FG, AF360 FGZ II, and AF 540 FGZ II and the camera will accept most third-party hot-shoe flashes with varying degrees of automation.
Sensor and Image Processing
With the same resolution and image processor, the sensor in the K-3 II offers the same image capture resolutions and movie recording options as the K-3. These are covered in our review of the K-3.
Playback and Software
The K-3 II provides the same image playback settings as the K-3 and includes the same effects filters and raw file conversion options (JPEG only). The same basic in-camera editing functions are provided for still images and movie clips.
No software was supplied with the review camera and you can’t download either the software or the user manuals from the Pentax Australia website. However, they are available from the head office in Japan, via http://www.ricoh-imaging.co.jp/english/support/.
The software for the new camera is an updated version of Pentax’s Digital Camera Utility 4, which combines a browser with a raw file conversion ‘Laboratory’ based on Silkypix Developer Studio. We won’t install Silkypix software on our computers because it’s an inferior application but, fortunately, DNG files from the camera can be converted into editable TIFFs with most versions of Adobe Camera Raw, our preferred raw file processor.
Performance
Our Imatest tests and sample shots were recorded with the smc Pentax-DAL 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR kit lens, which was supplied with the review camera. We also used the Natural colour setting, rather than the default Bright setting, which tends boost saturation more than we’d like.
The test shots covered JPEGs as well as both DNG.RAW and PEF.RAW files and we also tested the Pixel Shift Resolution System with both JPEGs and DNG.RAW files. All raw files were converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
Because we’ve already tested the impact of the selectable AA filter simulations on image resolution when we reviewed the original K-2, we opted to carry out all of our tests with the AA filter simulator switched off to enable the camera to display its full potential. We also disabled the camera’s noise-reduction processing, which probably explains the steep decline in resolution as sensitivity was increased (see below). Unfortunately, the kit lens we received with the camera was not as good as the DA 50mm f/1.8 SMC lens we received when we reviewed the original Pentax K3 in December 2013 and this difference largely explains the lower Imatest figures we obtained.
Imatest showed the review camera and kit lens to be capable of delivering high resolution, with both JPEG and raw files coming very close to expectations for the sensor’s resolution when the Pixel Shift Resolution System was switched on. With Pixel Shift Resolution disabled, both JPEGs and raw files fell a little short of expectations; the raw files only marginally so. The differences between DNG.RAW and PEF.RAW files were negligible when we converted them into 16-bit TIFF format using Adobe Camera Raw.
Resolution tailed off steadily as sensitivity was increased, as shown in the graph of our test results across the camera’s sensitivity range below. (Note: Pixel Shift Resolution was not used for these tests.)
Like the K-3, the K-3 II delivered excellent colour accuracy in our Imatest tests, with JPEGs showing similar characteristics to the DNG.RAW files we converted into TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw. If anything, they were slightly closer to the ideal values and among the best we’ve had so far from any camera we’ve tested recently. Pixel Shift Resolution had no impact on the way colours were recorded.
Autofocusing was generally fast and accurate for both still photography and in movie mode and the review camera had no problems focusing in very low light levels. Long exposures after dark showed little evidence of noise at ISO settings up to ISO 6400, even when noise-reduction processing was disabled.
Without noise-reduction processing, we found slight softening at ISO 12800, which increased with increasing sensitivity. Applying noise reduction processing reduced the visibility of noise at ISO 12800 with only a slight increase in softening.
Shots taken at ISO 512,000 were quite granular looking but would be printable at small output sizes. Colour accuracy remained consistently good up to ISO 12800 but a greenish tint became apparent with the two highest ISO settings.
Auto white balance performance was similar to the K-3’s. Shots taken under fluorescent lighting showed no evidence of colour casts, while the slight orange cast in shots taken under incandescent lighting was easily correctable with even basic image editors. Both pre-sets came close to neutral colour rendition and there’s plenty of scope for in-camera tweaking of colour balance.
Video quality was generally good, with relatively minor differences in quality between the various size and frame rate settings. The higher frame rates tended to produce sharper images and slightly clearer soundtracks, while slower frame rates introduced some blurring as the lens was re-focused.
Autofocusing was also more accurate with the faster frame rates. There were times when focusing faltered noticeably, particularly with the 24p settings, although the HD quality mode was generally sharper and had fewer faults than the FHD mode, probably because its resolution is lower and less processing was required. Aside from brief lapses in focusing, we encountered no glitches to interrupt movie recordings and no evidence of moirø©.
Auto white balance adjustment was reasonably with shots taken under fluorescent lighting showing very slight warming and shots taken in incandescent lighting a little more orange-toned. Both casts were small enough to be easily correctable with even basic image editors. Both pre-sets tended to over-correct colours but there’s plenty of scope for in-camera tweaking of colour balance.
We carried out our timing tests with a 16GB SanDisk Ultra SDHC U1 memory card and found the review camera took just under a second to power up but shut down almost instantly. When the viewfinder was used for framing shots, we measured an average capture lag of 0.2 seconds, which was eliminated with pre-focusing.
Average lag times extended to 0.6 seconds in live view mode when the subject was pre-focused and extended to over a second if the lens was seriously defocused when the shutter button was pressed. It took 0.4 seconds, on average to process each JPEG file, 2.6 seconds for a DNG.RAW file and 2.9 seconds for a RAW+JPEG pair.
Shot-to shot times averaged 0.4 seconds with the viewfinder. In live view mode, shot-to shot times averaged 2.2 seconds, largely because the camera re-focused the lens between shots. With manual focusing, shot-to-shot times averaged 0.45 seconds.
The three continuous shooting modes performed to specifications. The top capture speed is just over 8 frames/second (fps), with 4.5 fps and 3.0 fps frame rates also available.
In the high-speed mode, the camera recorded 74 large/fine JPEG images in 13.3 seconds. With both DNG.RAW files and RAW+JPEG pairs, the buffer filled after 30 frames, which were recorded in 5.2 seconds. With each of the three settings, it took a little more than two minutes to process the burst.
Conclusion
It’s a pity we didn’t have a better lens to test this camera with because so many other aspects of its performance were very good. The Pixel Shift Resolution function was quite impressive. Like the original K-3, the new camera is a pleasure to shoot with and its menu system is well designed and easy to read.
The integrated GPS module will be handy for travellers and we doubt many photographers would miss the built-in flash as the one in the previous model was quite weak. Continuous shooting speeds are fast enough to satisfy sports and wildlife photographers and the generous buffer memory deserves commendation.
In terms of value for money, there isn’t a weatherproof camera to match it when it comes to user-adjustable controls and functions; hence our Editor’s Choice nomination. But we’d recommend investing in a higher-quality lens that the kit zooms.
We haven’t reviewed many Pentax lenses but buyers could consider the DA 17-70mm f/4 AL(IF) SDM or the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC HSM as standard zoom lenses . Sigma also produces an 18-250mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM lens, which is an excellent performer for its type.
In the current marketplace, where sales of DSLR cameras continue to decline, the K-3 provides a welcome combination of innovative technology, excellent performance and a competitive price tag. While there’s been little discounting in the Australian marketplace so far, it’s not really worth shopping off-shore since when you’ve taken account of the currency conversion and shipping and insurance costs, you’ll save money by shopping at your local camera store ““ and you’ll enjoy the benefits of the local warranty and consumer protection regulations.
SPECS
Image sensor: 23.5 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor with 24.71 million photosites (24.35 megapixels effective)
Image processor: PRIME III
A/D processing: 14-bit
Lens mount: Pentax KAF2
Focal length crop factor: 1.5x
Image formats: Stills ““ PEF.RAW, DNG.RAW, JPEG (Exif 2.3), RAW+JPEG; Movies ““MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (MOV) – JPEG (AVI) for internal movie record
Image Sizes: Stills ““ 6016 x 4000, 4608 x 3072, 3072 x 2048, 1920 x 1280; Movies: Full HD (1920 x 1080, 60i/50i/30p/25p/24p); HD (1280 x 720, 60p/50p/30p/25p/24p)
Image Stabilisation: Sensor-Shift Shake Reduction; 4.5 stops correction
Dust removal: Integrated ultrasonic vibration system with Dust Alert function
Shutter; speed range: Electronically controlled vertical-run focal plane shutter; 1/8000 to 30 seconds plus bulb, X-sync at 1/180 sec.
Exposure Compensation: +/-5 EV in 1/3- or 1/2-EV increments
Exposure bracketing: 2, 3, or 5 frames, up to +/- 2 EV in 1/3 or 1/2 steps
Self-timer: 2 or 12 seconds delay
Focus system: SAFOX 11 TTL phase-matching – 27 point (25 cross type focus points in the centre) with Spot, Select, Expanded Area (S, M, L), Zone select, Auto (27 AF points) area selection
Focus modes: AF Single (with focus lock, focus/shutter priority selectable), AF Continuous (with focus/FPS priority selectable), Manual
Exposure metering: TTL open aperture metering using 86K pixel RGB sensor with Multi-segment, Centre-weighted average and Spot modes
Shooting modes: Green (auto), Program (P), Sensitivity Priority (Sv), Shutter Priority (Tv), Aperture Priority (Av), Shutter & Aperture Priority (TAv), Manual, Bulb, Flash X-Speed, USER (3 presets)
Picture Style/Control settings: Bright, Natural, Portrait, Landscape, Vibrant, Radiant, Muted, Bleach Bypass, Reversal Film, Monochrome, Cross Processing. All include gamut radar and fine adjustment of saturation, hue, high/low key, contrast, and sharpness (regular and fine adjustment scales). Monochrome mode includes adjustments for filter effects (green, yellow, orange, red, magenta, blue, cyan, infrared), toning (sepia, warm/cool), high/low key, contrast, and sharpness (regular, fine, and extra sharp adjustment scales)
HDR: Auto, HDR1, HDR2, HDR3, Exposure Bracket Value adjustable, Automatic composition correction function
Digital Filters: Extract Colour, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast, Shading, Invert Colour, Unicolor Bold, Bold Monochrome
Custom Functions: 27 plus 11 Mode Memory items
Colour space options: sRGB, Adobe RGB
ISO range: ISO 100 to ISO 51200 set manually in 1, 1/2, 1/3 steps; Auto ISO range selectable
White balance: Auto, Multi Auto WB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent Light (D: Daylight Colour, N:Daylight White, W:Cool White, L:Warm White), Tungsten Light, Flash, CTE, Manual (up to 3 settings), Color temperature setting (up to 3 settings); Copying the white balance setting of a captured image,+/- 7 step WB fine adjustment available in all modes
Flash: External flash only
Flash modes: Auto, On, Redeye, Slow Sync, P-TTL, Trailing Curtain Sync, Contrast-control synch, High-speed sync, Wireless synch; Red-eye reduction is available
Flash exposure adjustment: -2 EV to +1EV in 1/2-EV increments
Sequence shooting: Max. approx. 8.3 shots/sec. for up to 60 full-resolution JPEGs or 23 RAW files with a UHS-I certified SDHC or SDXC card
Other features: AA Filter Simulator for Moirø© reduction using SR unit: Type1/Type2/OFF; Composite mode with Additive, Average and Bright settings; 2 to 2000 shots’ interval shooting (4K, FHD, HD)
Storage Media: Dual slots for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards; UHS-1 compatible; compatible with Eye-Fi and Flucards
Viewfinder: Pentaprism with 100% FOV coverage, 0.95x magnification, Natural-Bright-Matte III (interchangeable) focusing screen, dioptre adjustment -2.5m to 1.5m
LCD monitor: 3.2-inch wide viewing angle TFT colour LCD with approx. 1,037,000 dots; brightness/saturation/colour adjustment AR coating and air-gapless glass
Playback functions: Single frame, multi-image display (6, 12, 20, 35, 80 thumbnails), display magnification (up to 16x, 100% display and quick zoom), image rotation, histogram (Y histogram, RGB histogram), highlight alert, auto image rotation, detailed information display, copyright information (photographer, copyright holder), folder display, calendar filmstrip display, slideshow, GPS (latitude, longitude, altitude, Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)); delete single/all/selected images or folder; digital filters (Base Parameter Adj, Extract Colour, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast, Shading, Invert Colour, Unicolor Bold, Bold Monochrome, Tone Expansion, Sketch, Water Colour, Pastel, Posterisation, Miniature, Soft, Starburst, Fish-eye, Slim) Raw development to JPEG or TIFF); Colour Moirø© Correction, Resize, Cropping (aspect ratio can be changed and tilt correction is available), Index, Movie Edit (dividing a movie file and deleting unwanted segments), Capturing a JPEG still picture from a movie, Save RAW Data, Image Copy, Eye-Fi Image Transfer
Interface terminals: USB 3.0 hi-speed, AV out, HDMI out, DC in, cable switch, 3.5mm stereo microphone, X-sync socket, GPS with electronic compass, Astrotracer function
Power supply: D-LI90 rechargeable lithium-ion battery; CIPA rated for approx. 720 shots/charge
Dimensions (wxhxd): Approx. 131.5 x 102.5 x 77.5 mm (body only)
Weight: Approx. 700 grams (body only); 785 grams with battery and card
TESTS
Based on JPEG image files.
Based on DNG.RAW image files converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
Based on JPEG image files taken with Pixel Shift Resolution.
Based on DNG.RAW image files taken with Pixel Shift Resolution and converted into 16-bit TIFF format with Adobe Camera Raw.
SAMPLES
All test images were captured with the smc Pentax-DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL WR kit lens.
Auto white balance with incandescent lighting.
Auto white balance with fluorescent lighting.
30-second exposure at ISO 100 at f/4, 26mm focal length.
10-second exposure at ISO 1600 at f/4, 26mm focal length.
6-second exposure at ISO 6400 at f/6.3, 26mm focal length.
4-second exposure at ISO 12800 at f/8, 26mm focal length.
2.5-second exposure at ISO 25600 at f/9, 26mm focal length.
2-second exposure at ISO 51200 at f/11, 26mm focal length.
18mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/320 second at f/8.
55mm focal length, ISO 100, 1/250 second at f/8.
Close-up; 55mm focal length at ISO 200, 1/80 second at f/5.6.
Close-up; 55mm focal length at ISO 400, 1/100 second at f/7.1.
40mm focal length, ISO 400, 1/60 second at f/8.
55mm focal length, ISO 640, 1/60 second at f/8.
55mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/100 second at f/5.6.
55mm focal length, ISO 200, 1/125 second at f/6.3.
55mm focal length, ISO 3200, 1/100 second at f/9.
55mm focal length, ISO 800, 1/125 second at f/7.1.
Still frame from Full HD movie clip recorded at 1080 50i.
Still frame from Full HD movie clip recorded at 1080 30p.
Still frame from Full HD movie clip recorded at 1080 25p.
Still frame from Full HD movie clip recorded at 1080 24p.
Still frame from HD movie clip recorded at 720 50p.
Still frame from HD movie clip recorded at 720 30p.
Still frame from HD movie clip recorded at 720 25p.
Still frame from HD movie clip recorded at 720 24p.
Rating
RRP: AU$1349; US$1099.95 (body only)
- Build: 9.0
- Ease of use: 8.7
- Autofocusing: 8.8
- Still image quality JPEG: 8.7
- Still image quality RAW: 8.8
- Image quality with Pixel Shift Resolution: 9.2
- Video quality: 8.5
