Pentax K-3: Sharp and Speedy, No Video AF

Sharp and Speedy, No Video AF

 

Pentax has a long history of being a little different from the 'big two' SLR makers, introducing features that would normally be found on cameras costing quite a bit more, such as weatherproofing and larger, pentaprism optical viewfinders. It's also created some products that seemingly came out of left field, such as the Q7 and K-01 mirrorless cameras.

The Pentax name is now owned by Ricoh (not a company scared to try new ideas itself), which has continued the tradition of innovation, no better illustrated than with the concept of a digital SLR that has an anti-aliasing effect that can be turned on at the push of a button (Nikon recently patented a concept that accomplishes the same thing, but in a different manner). However, it hasn't accomplished this by having the filter just drop into place. No, Pentax is using its sensor-shift image stabilizer to deliberately move the sensor during the exposure, slightly blurring the image to mimic the effects of an optical low-pass filter. Not only can this be turned on and off, Pentax is also offering two 'intensities' to choose from.

The name of the camera with this breakthrough feature: the Pentax K-3. This camera takes the rugged design of the K-5 II / K-5 IIs that came before it and bumps up the resolution, improves the AF system, speeds up the processor, and enlarges the LCD and viewfinder. 

A quick look at specifications for the K-3 offers possible insight into the Pentax enthusiasm: the camera features a 24 megapixel APS-C sensor (23.35 MP effective size), a significant increase from the 16 megapixel sensors offered in the rest of the Pentax DSLR lineup. One aspect of resolution increases on the same physically-sized sensor is the ability to make larger prints -- files coming out of the K-3 measured 20.05 x 13.33 inches at 300 dots per inch; by comparison, files coming out of the Pentax K-5II (16.3 MP effective size) measure about 16.42 x 10.88 inches at 300 dpi. Bigger files also give you the opportunity to crop images fairly aggressively if necessary, seemingly getting you "closer" to certain subjects. Here's the full frame/full resolution shot of an Anna's hummingbird, and the same shot cropped to 20 x 15 inches at 225 dots per inch - prints of both are virtually indistinguishable from one another.

Moving on from resolution, there's a continuous shooting rate of up to 8.3 fps and a newly designed SAFOX 11 autofocus module with 27 AF points. The magnesium body panels mount on a stainless steel chassis that features weather sealing and in-camera shake reduction (stabilization). There are dual SD card slots and a "newly designed Real Time Scene Analysis System featuring an 86,000 pixel RGB light-metering sensor and improved algorithms that further enhance accuracy of exposure, white balance and autofocusing". The K-3 also offers "an enhanced video recording experience including the ability to change from still image to video recording with the flip of a dedicated switch to capture full HD movie recording in H.264 format". Native ISO sensitivity ranges from 100 to 51200. The camera can also accept an optional GPS unit that provides electronic compass, Astro-tracer and GPS time sync functions.

The Astro-tracer function is an intriguing feature for folks wishing to dabble in night sky photography as it utilizes the GPS and the camera's built-in shake reduction system to match the movement of the camera sensor with the movement of celestial objects due to the Earth's rotation. This function can be enabled for times ranging from 10 seconds to 5 minutes and is designed to produce images with stars and planets reproduced as points of light rather than elongated "trails". Unfortunately, we didn't have a GPS unit available to give this feature an actual field test, but here's a 20 second night sky shot from the K-3 featuring the constellation Orion and what looks like an airplane- produced trail. This was a RAW image post processed using Photo Ninja software.

A primary feature of the K-3 is the inclusion of what Pentax describes as "the world's first selectable anti-aliasing filter, giving the user the ability to easily toggle anti-aliasing functionality on or off, for supreme resolution and zero limitations". Nikon's D800E pioneered the movement away from anti-aliasing filters in certain cameras in order to produce improved image sharpness and Pentax followed suit with the K5IIs. However, the K-3 doesn't contain a new anti-aliasing filter with the ability to be switched on or off; instead, Pentax uses shake reduction to produce a slight movement of the camera sensor in order to simulate the effect of an anti-aliasing filter when that feature is enabled: "The anti-aliasing simulator applies microscopic vibrations to the image sensor unit at the subpixel level during image exposure, generating the same level of moire-reduction effect as an optical anti-aliasing filter. This function is most effective with a shutter speed of 1/1000 second or slower". We'll take a close look at image quality with this feature enabled and disabled later in the review.

Finally, the K-3 has a significant wireless capability: "with installation of an optional, dedicated 16 GB FLU CARD for PENTAX in the K-3, the photographer can remotely change settings such as aperture, shutter speed and ISO, shift the AF focus point, release the camera shutter, check the live view image, and browse and download images to mobile devices and PC"; Eye-fi Wireless and SD/SDHC/SDXC memory media are also compatible. The camera has a USB 3.0 high speed port.

Pentax includes a lithium-ion battery and charger, hot shoe and body mount covers, camera strap, eyecup, and CD-ROM software with each camera. The K-3 will be available as a body only for $1,300 and in kit form including a DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 WR zoom lens for $1,700 - a K-3 Premium Silver Edition will also be made available in a limited quantity with only 2,000 units being offered worldwide. This limited-edition model features a silver body with a silver BG-5 battery grip designed exclusively for the K-3 and a suggested retail price of $1,600. The PENTAX FLU SDHC 16GB memory card to enable remote control and wireless functions retails for $100. Here's a look at the wide and telephoto ends of the kit lens:

 

Pentax K-3 key features

• 24.4 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
• Sensor-shift image stabilization with rotational compensation
• Anti-aliasing 'simulator' (camera has no optical low-pass filter)
• SAFOX 11 TTL autofocus system (27-point, 25 of which are cross-type)
• 3.2-inch LCD with 3:2 aspect ratio and 1.037k dots
• Pentaprism optical viewfinder with 0.95x magnification, 100% coverage
• 8.3 fps continuous shooting
• 1920 x 1080 video recording (60i, 30p, 24p)
• Dual SD card slots
• Headphone, microphone ports
• USB 3.0 support

At first glance, the K-3 may look like the K-5 II with a higher resolution sensor, but that's far from the whole story. Ricoh has improved upon the K-5 II in every way, with special attention given to video recording. On the photo side, there's the new sensor (probably from Sony), improved autofocus and metering systems, larger optical viewfinder and LCD, and of course, the selectable AA filter. Performance-wise, the K-3 shoots at 8.3 fps, up from 7.0 fps on the K-5 II.

The K-3 uses a new SAFOX 11 autofocus system, which has 27 points (25 of which are cross-type).	The metering system has been dramatically improved, going from 77-segment on the K-5 to 86,000 RGB pixels on the K-3.

Movie lovers will find all kinds of new features. There's now a dedicated 'red button' for quick recording, mic and headphone inputs, and control over audio level. The frame rate has also been increased to 1080/60i, up from 1080/25p on the K-5 II.

Two features that photo and video enthusiasts will like are dual SD card slots and support for USB 3.0 (the K-3 is only the second camera to support this). Build quality remains top-notch, with the K-3 having a rugged, weatherproof body.

The biggest change to the K-3 isn't a feature at all, but it will probably garner the most discussion. There is now a prominent 'Ricoh' logo on the back of the camera, just below the LCD. Ricoh has stated that Pentax is a 'brand' now, similar to 'Lumix' on Panasonic cameras. We're curious to see how the very loyal Pentax audience will react to this change. With this in mind, it's interesting also to note that the K-3 gains the multi-area white balance feature (which aims to correct for different light sources in the same image) that we've seen on previous Ricohs.

Anti-aliasing simulator

One of the most interesting new features on the K-3 is its 'anti-aliasing simulator'. Like the K-5 IIs the camera has no anti-aliasing filter; this improves resolution, but with the trade-off of an increased risk of moiré. Pentax is using the K-3's sensor-shift IS system to simulate the effect of having the filter.

The AA simulator works by applying 'microscopic vibrations to the image sensor unit at the sub-pixel level during exposure', according to Pentax. Simply put, these tiny vibrations cause just enough blur to give the same effect as having an optical anti-aliasing filter. There are two options to choose from - Pentax calls them Mode 1 and Mode 2 - which we assume increases the 'strength' of the virtual filter. Pentax says that the AA simulator is most effective when the shutter speed is under 1/1000 sec.

We assess the real-world impact of the mode later in this review.

Kit options and pricing

The K-3 is sold in three kits (at least in the US). The body-only option has a recommended price of $1299 / £1099, while a kit with the DA 18-135mm F3.5-5.6 WR lens has a list price of $1699 / £1449. The third kit is the 'premium silver edition' shown above, of which only 2000 will be made. This model includes a special battery grip and strap (but no lens), available from select retailers for $1599 / £1399.

Body & Design

The K-3 is a mid-sized DSLR that offers a hefty, weather-sealed body. The magnesium alloy body leaves no doubt that the K-3 is a well-built DSLR, though some may be put off by its weight (800g / 28.2 oz fully loaded). The camera's large grip gives it a secure feel in your hands, though you'll definitely want to use your left hand to support the lens.

The K-3's body is primarily constructed from magnesium alloy.

Like its predecessors, the K-3 is fully sealed against the elements. Its body has 92 seals, which keep water and dust out. In addition, the camera is functional at temperatures as low as -10C/+14F. Pentax claims that its shutter is rated for 200,000 cycles.

The K-3 has buttons scattered across three sides of its body, which can be overwhelming at first. The I/O ports on the left side include microphone, USB, HDMI, DC-in, and a newly-added headphone socket for monitoring audio during move recording. On the opposite side you'll find another new addition: dual SD card slots. Under that is yet another port, this time for an optional wired remote control.

On the bottom of the camera is a lockable battery compartment, which holds Pentax's D-LI90 battery, contacts for the optional battery grip, and the tripod mount, which is in-line with the lens. 

Top of camera

There's really only one significant change on the top of the K-3, and it's related to the mode dial. On the K-5 II, you had to hold the button in the center of the dial down in order to rotate it. A new lock switch (which replaces the metering switch) unlocks the dial, which you can then freely spin.

In your hand

The K-3 features a new grip, which is a bit deeper than the one on the K-5 II. It's a nice improvement, as the K-3 is a fairly weighty camera. There's a large thumb-rest on the rear of the camera, which should keep your fingers off of any controls.

Body Elements

	Pentax DSLRs have always had a loaded mode dial, with some exposure modes that you won't find on other brands. These include sensitivity priority (Sv) and aperture + shutter priority (TAv) modes. The locking mechanism has been revamped, with a switch now controlling whether the dial can turn. The old metering switch is replaced by a button on the back of the camera.
	Some of the new movie-centric features can be found to the upper-right of the LCD. They include a dedicated movie recording button (which turns on live view when in stills shooting mode), plus a switch to toggle the camera between stills and movies.
	On the left side of the camera is a redesigned switch for moving between auto and manual focus. To change between single and continuous AF, you can simply hold down the new AF mode button just above the switch. This AF mode button is also how you'll move between the various focus modes on the camera (auto, selectable point, spot).
	The flash on the K-3 has been slightly retooled. The guide number remains at 13 meters at ISO 100, but the flash now pops up higher than before.
	The main set of I/O ports, found under a rubber cover on the camera's left side, include USB 3.0, micro HDMI, and DC-in (for an optional AC adapter). The K-3 is one of only two cameras on the market with a USB 3.0 port, with the other being the Nikon D800.
	At the intersection of the left and back sides of the camera is the K-3's microphone port. The K-3 has the ability to manually adjust the mic level - something that couldn't be done on the K-5 II.
	Not far from the mic port is the new headphone jack. To the upper-left you'll see the (covered) flash sync port, as well as the RAW/Fx button.
	The K-3 now offers two SDHC card slots, which are located on the right side of the body. The user can choose to use the second card as a mirror, as overflow, or for storing JPEGs when you're shooting Raw. The card in the foreground is a 'Flu' SD card mentioned on the previous page.
	The battery used by the K-3 is the same as that of the K-5 II. The D-LI90 contains an impressive 14Wh of energy. Strangely enough, battery life on the K-3 is almost a third lower than that of its predecessor (560 vs 740 shots). We were skeptical of the battery life and contacted Pentax, who confirmed that it was indeed correct.

Ergonomics and Controls
Outwardly, the K-3 bears a strong family resemblance to its predecessor K-5II, the principal change being a different contour to the left front of the camera body. Dimensions are 5.17 x 3.94 x 3.05 inches, virtually identical to the earlier camera, but body-only weight increases 1.9 ounces; shooting configuration (battery, camera strap, one memory card) with the 18-135mm kit lens was 45.4 ounces.

With the kit lens onboard the K-3 offered a nicely balanced shooting platform for hand holding; because of the camera's relatively diminutive size the little finger of my right hand curled under the camera body and the joint between the tip of my index finger and the middle pad fell naturally onto the shutter button, requiring a little conscious readjustment to trip the shutter. There was ample space between the handgrip and lens barrel/lens mount for my fingers while hand holding and the control layout is such that a comfortable shooting grip doesn't interfere with or cause inadvertent activations of external controls.

The info button on the camera back brings up a screen offering access to a number of frequently used shooting settings including ISO, highlight correction, shadow correction, digital filters, HDR capture, the AF assist light, high ISO noise reduction, slow shutter speed noise reduction, distortion correction, lateral chromatic aberration adjustment, peripheral illumination correction, autofocus mode, autofocus active area, memory card options, file format, JPL recording pixel numbers, shake reduction, and the anti-aliasing filter simulator.

The control layout of the K-3 is very similar to the K-5II but there are just enough changes to keep K-5II shooters moving into a K-3 on their toes. The most obvious change is the migration of the AF mode button from the camera back to the left side of the lens mount base just above the focus mode switch; in its place resides a new stills/movies switch. This new switch is part of the "enhanced" video experience promised by Pentax and is positioned nicely for easy activation by the thumb of the right hand. Simply flip the switch from still to video mode, acquire focus with a half push of the camera shutter and commence capture with a full push; a second push on the shutter button ceases capture. You can also use the live view/record button to initiate and stop video capture once the camera is in video mode. The "video" icon that formerly appeared on the mode dial has been replaced by two additional user custom settings, and the K-3 moves the live view/record button just to the right of the eyepiece. A "change AF point/card slot switch button" is a new addition to the lower right rear of the camera body.

Menus and ModesMenus in the K-3 are what you would expect from a high-end prosumer camera aimed at the enthusiast market niche, which is to say they offer a wide range of camera adjustments and settings in most shooting modes and the ability to fine tune camera performance for various shooting styles and subjects. The record mode menu consists of four pages; movie menu, one page; playback menu, one page; set up menu, four pages and custom setting menu, four pages. While the same number of menu pages are presented whether you're shooting in the fully automatic green mode or any of the other semi-automatic or manual modes, the number of individual items available on a particular page are severely restricted in green mode. Here's the rundown on green mode and the rest of the shooting options available in the K-3:

• Green mode - a fully automatic mode with the camera determining virtually all shooting parameters; the user can set image size and quality, but very little else.
• Program auto - an automatic mode with the camera setting shutter speed and aperture; the user retains a wide variety of other settings.
• Sensitivity priority auto exposure - an automatic mode with the camera setting shutter speed and aperture based upon the user selection of ISO sensitivity; the user retains a wide variety of other camera settings.
• Shutter & aperture priority automatic exposure - user sets shutter speed and aperture, camera sets ISO sensitivity according to the brightness of the subject; the user retains a wide variety of other camera settings.
• Shutter priority - user sets shutter speed, camera sets aperture and the user retains a wide variety of other camera settings.
• Aperture priority - user sets the aperture, camera sets the shutter speed and the user retains a wide variety of other camera settings.
• Manual - user sets the aperture and shutter speed along with ISO and retains a wide variety of other camera settings.
• Bulb - allows the user to keep the shutter open for time periods in excess of 30 seconds.
• X (flash sync) - locks shutter speed at 1/180 of a second to permit synchronization with external flashes that do not automatically set synchronization speed.
• User 1, 2, 3 - allows the user to save three sets of frequently used camera settings for quick recall, including exposure mode, drive mode, flash mode and exposure compensation, white balance, ISO sensitivity, and many others.
• Movie - unlike the K5II, video capture is initiated via the still/movie switch rather than the mode dial; the K-3 can capture MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MOV Full HD (1920x1080) video at 60i/50i/30p/25p or 24p frame rates; HD (1280x720) at 60p/50p/30p/25p or 24p. Movie capture is limited to 4 GB or 25 minutes, subject to overheat protection. Built-in monaural microphone; equipped with a headphone terminal and stereo microphone terminal for external microphone connection. The user can also adjust the audio recording level manually and monitor sound levels during recording.

It's a safe bet to say that K-5II users moving into a K-3 will feel right at home with the menu layout and shooting options afforded by the K-3.

Display/ViewfinderThe 3.2 inch color LCD monitor features brightness/saturation/color adjustment along with an anti-reflective coating and an air-gapless design. The monitor is adjustable for 15 levels of brightness, but even so can be difficult to use outdoors during bright conditions for image review or capture. Monitor resolution is 1037K dots and while area of coverage is not specified it appears to be close to 100%.

The viewfinder features .95% magnification and offers 100% coverage; it has diopter adjustment to compensate for varying degrees of eyesight and was pleasantly large and bright in use.

Viewfinder and LCD

One of the improvements on the K-3 is its pentaprism viewfinder. While the coverage remains at 100%, the magnification has risen to 0.95x, compared to 0.92x on the K-5 II. This makes the K-3's optical viewfinder one of the best-in-class, sitting alongside the Nikon D7100 in the top spot, but eclipsed by the EVF on the Olympus E-M1.

The LCD on the K-3 has also received a bump. It's gone up both in size (3.2 vs 3.0 inches) and resolution (1.04M vs 921k dots). In addition, the K-3's LCD now sports a 3:2 aspect ratio, compared to 4:3 on the K-5 and K-5 II.

Wireless connectivity

While the K-3 doesn't have built-in Wi-Fi, it can take advantage of a Pentax-specific version of the strangely named 'FluCard' memory cards - one of the competing formats of wireless SD card. A 16GB Pentax-branded FluCard sells for $99/£130 to connect to smart device, either through a dedicate app or via the browser. Impressively, the dedicated version of the card allows a degree of remote control of the camera: something we've not seen before in a wireless SD card.

In addition to using the card, we've commissioned a Pentax shooter to write a review of the FluCard and its functions. 

PERFORMANCEWith Pentax touting the K-3 as featuring "unparalleled technology and specifications" I was anxious to put the ad copy to the test, especially in light of that 8.3 fps motor that just screams "shoot some fast-moving subjects".

Shooting PerformanceBefore any camera can shoot even one frame per second it first has to be turned on and in this regard the K-3 starts promptly. I was able to power the camera up, acquire focus and get off a first shot in about one second. Ongoing single shots are simply a matter of how rapidly you can reacquire focus and shoot again. AF performance with the K-3 in single still image capture was solid: fairly quick in good light with very little drop-off in acquisition times in dim light. There is an AF assist lamp which seems to have a little more range than that of the K-5II. Overall, AF performance for single image still captures was appropriate given the camera's price point.

Shifting to continuous high-speed shooting there is mostly good news: first, the camera can really crank out the frames at high-speed, assuming you're able to keep the shutter speed around 1/600 of a second or faster. As shutter speeds drop into the 1/400th range (and slower) you can hear the camera isn't quite keeping up the same pace. Another factor is the release priority established for the camera: in the custom menu page 3, items 16 and 17 control release priority for the shutter during the first shot in continuous shooting mode and then all subsequent shots in any individual burst, respectively. With either or both of these settings on focus priority the camera first establishes focus before allowing the shutter to the fire, and the focus process generally slow things down. With the settings on release priority the camera is free to fire away without necessarily establishing focus.

More good news: Pentax has built in a buffer capacity with the K-3 that provides good support for shooters who like to rip a lot of images. Nominally, the K-3 is capable of recording approximately 60 JPEG images or 25 RAW images at continuous high-speed before buffer capacity slows the shooting down. That's about 7.5 seconds shooting JPEGs and 3 seconds shooting RAW. But just as with focus priority versus release priority impacting the continuous shooting rate, there's a serpent in the buffer Garden of Eden as well: distortion correction. On page 1 of the record menu there's a "lens correction" item that, when entered reveals distortion correction, lateral chromatic aberration adjustment, and peripheral illumination correction settings (all part of the shooting settings that can also be accessed on the monitor via the info button). Enabling distortion correction is the guilty party here - shooting continuous high-speed JPEGs buffer capacity is now cut by over half, to about 25-26 images before shooting slows. That's still a full three seconds, and the camera can also shoot about 25-26 RAW images before slowing; in fact, even shooting RAW and JPEG images the K-3 still made the 26 image figure before slowing. All shooting with the K-3 was done with a Lexar 32GB 600x SDHC memory card.

Write times for distortion-controlled bursts of 25 JPEG images ran about 19 seconds; RAW write times were 25 seconds and the RAW/JPEG 26 image burst took about 35 seconds. During the writing process a card access lamp on the lower right rear of the camera body flashes to let you know the writing status; even with writing still in progress, the K-3 allows you to capture additional images as soon as there is buffer capacity available.

The K-3 offers the ability to bracket up to five images with varying levels of exposure with a single push the shutter button, a handy feature for folks who like to use HDR software to create single composite images out of a bracketed sequence. Somewhat strangely, when I tried bracketing with the K-3 set in manual shooting mode, the camera changed both aperture and shutter speed in each successive shot; generally, a camera bracketing in manual mode retains the same aperture but changes shutter speeds only. Changing the aperture with each shot of necessity will cause slightly different depth of field in each shot you're later asking your software to merge - probably not the ideal situation. Fortunately for folks who want to let the camera do the work, the K-3 has a fairly competent HDR shooting feature which creates a single image out of a three shot burst - and it's a good idea to mount the camera on a tripod when using this feature in dim light where it does its best work. Here are a couple shots of modestly dim interiors at Mission San Luis Rey:

Lens PerformanceThe DA 18-135 f3.5/5.6 ED AL (IF) DC WR kit lens, besides being a mouthful to say also shows a bit of barrel distortion at the wide-angle end of the focal range with a milder dose of pincushion distortion at telephoto. Zooming the lens to around 22mm eliminated the barrel distortion but by about 28mm some pincushion distortion was beginning to become apparent, but pincushion is never as pronounced as the barrel distortion. There was slight softness and light falloff  in the corners at 18mm, and the vertical edges of the frame appeared slightly soft as well -- the horizontal edges appeared consistent with the rest of the frame. At 135mm the corners appeared a bit soft and the edges slightly soft. Chromatic aberration (purple fringing) was present at both ends of the zoom in this lens, but was relatively benign and primarily noticeable during 300-400x pixel peeping.

Approximately 90 degrees of rotation of the zoom ring is required to go from one extreme focal length to the other, and this action was smooth and consistent. Manual focus required rotation of the focus ring through about 90 degrees of travel and the front element of the lens does not rotate during focus -- minimum focus distance is 15.72 inches.

As mentioned earlier the K-3 has a lens correction menu item that includes distortion correction, lateral chromatic aberration adjustment, and peripheral illumination correction settings that, when enabled can help compensate for lens defects.

Video QualityWith the Pentax press release on the K-3 promising "an enhanced video recording experience" and "outstanding HD video performance" I was hoping to see a video capture capability approaching that of the Canon 70D I recently reviewed. No such luck. While Pentax video image quality is good and the K-3 features a redesigned movie interface that makes initiating video capture a smooth process, the Pentax flagship still lacks a continuous autofocus capability. Not even a slow continuous autofocus capability, no capability at all. You can autofocus initially in order to initiate capture, but if your subject moves off the original focus point and in so doing changes its distance from the camera, the camera doesn't alter focus to compensate for the change. Seriously Pentax, everybody else's DSLRs have continuous autofocus, why is it you can't seem to do the same?

I'll be the first to admit that I do not shoot a lot of video with my personal DSLRs and subscribe to the philosophy that if video capture is your primary objective you should be using a dedicated video cam. Video has been in DSLRs for a while now and all the other guys have continuous autofocus, so the absence of it in yet another Pentax flagship is a major black mark against a camera that otherwise has so much to offer for still image capture.

Movie Mode

The K-3 is the first top-end Pentax DSLR to feature a dedicated movie record button, and its video specifications see some of the biggest changes over its predecessor. Physically the camera gains a headphone socket for monitoring audio, to add to the microphone socket featured on the K-5s, but the more significant change is the move from the large and inefficient Motion JPEG compression system to the more refined H.264 format.

The camera records 1080 video at 24p, 25p or 30p, with the option for the latter two modes to be stored as 50i and 60i footage. The camera also offers an 'Interval Movie Record' option that shoots frames of up to 4K resolution at regular intervals and combines them as a movie. This mode has a shortest duration of 2 seconds between frames, though, so don't get your 4K shooting hopes up.

Sizes	• Full HD 1920 x 1080 60i, ~22 Mbps 1920 x 1080 50i, ~22 Mbps 1920 x 1080 30p, ~22 Mbps 1920 x 1080 25p, ~22 Mbps 1920 x 1080 24p, ~22 Mbps • HD 1280 x 720 60p, ~22 Mbps 1280 x 720 50p, ~22 Mbps 1280 x 720 30p, ~12 Mbps 1280 x 720 25p, ~12 Mbps 1280 x 720 24p, ~12 Mbps
Audio	• PCM 16bit 48,000Hz • Mono internal recording, stereo available via optional external mic.
Format	• MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 • Motion JPEG (AVI) for Interval Movie Shooting (4K, 1080p or 720p)
Recordable time	Approx 25 minutes (camera stops automatically to avoid over-heating)

The K-3 offers manual exposure during video capture, giving you full control over shutter speed, aperture and ISO, even while you're recording. There are also Program, Aperture Priority and TAv modes if you prefer, and the rear AF button can be used to perform single AF acquisitions as you shoot (though this will be quite noisy in your footage if you're using a lens driven by the camera's motor). Although all the live view AF modes (Face Detection, Tracking, Multiple AF Points, Select and Spot) are available when setting up your shot, they stop functioning when you start recording - the camera appears to just offer center-point AF if you hit the AF button.

And it's not just the more sophisticated AF modes that are only available in preparation for shooting. As with the K-5s (and several rival cameras), the K-3 offers focus peaking but only while setting-up a shot. The same is true for audio recording - the volume can be monitored via headphones and an on-screen display as you shoot, but can only be set prior to recording.

On one of Pentax's higher-end lenses that feature distance scales, it's possible to use focus peaking to plan your shot and work out the range across which you need to focus (as shown in sample 2). Without any guides as you're shooting, there's a risk of over- or under-shooting your target; something you're unlikely to notice until you try playing the footage back on a larger screen.

The camera does offer sensor shift-based shake reduction (Movie SR) during video capture. We've been pretty impressed with how steady the results are, and haven't seen any of the odd psychedelic warping that can occur when rolling shutter combines with digital correction.

Source

DPReview Pentax K-3 Reviews -April, 2014

DigitalCameraReview Pentax K-3 Review (Review Rating 4.5/5) -Nov 29, 2013

Pros

• Good still and video image quality
• High continuous shooting rate
• Good capacity buffer
• Weather sealed
• Attractive price point versus feature set

Cons

• Lack of continuous autofocus during video capture
• AA filter simulator may not completely eliminate moire in extreme cases
• Flash sync speed lags behind most competitors

PCMag Pentax K-3 Review (4.5/5)
Imaging Resoource Pentax K-3 Review 
Official Website

Where to Buy
Official Website Pentax K-3 Out Off Stock Edition Silver

$1,448.00 Inc GST Official Website Pentax PENTAX K-3 + DAL 18-55 WR *BONUS: 8GB Flucard pro wireless SD card.

$1,299.00 Inc GST Official Website Pentax Pentax K-3 Body Only *BONUS: 8GB Flucard pro wireless SD card

$1,271.96 Amazon Pentax K-3 Pentax SLR SLR Camera - Body Only *free shipping & only 1 left in stock -Apr 14, 2014

$1,296.95 Amazon Pentax K-3 Pentax SLR SLR Camera - Body Only *free shipping & only 1 left in stock -Apr 14, 2014

$1,505.00 + $4.99 shipping Amazon Pentax K-3 lens kit w/ 18-135mm WR 24MP SLR Camera with 3.2-Inch TFT LCD and 18-135mm WR f 3.5-5.6 (Black) *Only 5 left in stock - Apr 14, 2014

$1,599.95 Amazon Pentax (Ricoh) K-3 Premium Silver Edition Body Only (Includes Grip)http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-Premium-Silver-Edition-Includes/dp/B00GT1MI68%3FSubscriptionId%3D14Y3MT0G2J4Y72K3ZXR2%26tag%3Ddpreviewbuybox-20%26linkCode%3Dxm2%26camp%3D2025%26creative%3D165953%26creativeASIN%3DB00GT1MI68 *free shipping & only 2 left in stock -Apr 14, 2014

$1596.95 Buy Dig Pentax K-3 Pentax SLR 24MP SLR Camera with 3.2-Inch TFT LCD- Premium Edition With Grip *free shipping (USA) -Apr 14, 2014

$1,599.95 Crutchfield Pentax K-3 Premium Silver Edition (no lens included) -Apr 14, 2014