We check out the Pentax K-3 Mark III, a model update 6 years in the making!
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Intro - 0:00
Body - 0:33
Sensor & Image Quality - 2:07
Low Light - 2:33
Hi-Res Mode - 2:52
Image Stabilisation - 3:01
Autofocus - 3:53
Video - 4:50
Conclusion - 5:51
Today we’re looking at the new Pentax K3 Mark III, a new APS-C DSLR, and an update to the Mark II which came out in 2015. Let’s start with a look at the body of the camera.
So as we can see here this is a fairly standard body design, heavily influenced by the Kc Mark II. Being a higher-end camera, we have quite a few premium features on here, including weather sealing, dual SD card slots, joystick controller, top LCD panel, touchscreen and new touch menus, and just a generally premium feel to the build quality. There's a new dial on the top here that iterates on the Function dial from the Mk II. The grip is solid and chunky, and the camera has mic, headphone, HDMI and USB-C ports.
One big feature here is the new viewfinder. This is a pentaprism with 105% magnification, which is actually the largest ever on an APS-C DLSR. It’s also 10% brighter than on the Mark II. Overall it’s a fantastic viewfinder.
-In my testing with the camera I used the 40mm f/2.8 pancake lens, which made to whole package super small and portable. Unfortunately the screen is not articulating, which would have been nice for handheld video shooters or people who often shoot from a tripod. Also, there is no external battery charger in the box, you charge the battery while in the camera via USB.
Inside the camera is a 25.7 MP sensor. That’s a great mid-range resolution. There is no anti-aliasing filter, resulting in increased sharpness, and the sensor is capable of 14-bit readout at 12 fps. So the images coming out of this camera are quite high quality. It also has better high ISO performance than the KP, and an improved processor gives it better detail and less noise in low light environments. And if you want higher resolution images, there’s the Pixel Shift mode which takes 4 images and combines them, giving you a single, extremely high resolution image.
Like many Pentax cameras, the K3 Mark III features a 5 axis In-Body Image Stabilisation system. This offers 5.5 stops of stabilisation, which is a 1-stop improvement over the Mark II. This is a big help for photographers and video shooters alike. It will allow you to shoot photos handheld at lower shutter speeds, which will improve stability and also improve low light shooting performance. Also for videographers it allows you to shoot handheld movements with much more stability, even when walking. All in all, a very important feature that is implemented well here.
In terms of autofocus, the K3 Mark III has a 101-point AF system. This features a new AF module, Safox 13. This has 20% wider coverage than the Safox 11 module on the Mark II, and can focus at up to -4 EV with lenses that are at least f/2.8. They’ve also updated the continuous AF with new algorithms to recognise faces, birds and more. The camera can shoot 12 fps, or 11 with continuous AF. There’s also an updated shutter in the camera that shortens viewfinder blackout, which is helpful here. In practice, this is a very solid system. It tracks well, and it’s fast and responsive. Whether you're shooting faster moving subjects like animals or just want reliable face detection, the system delivers well. The joystick can also be used to adjust focus points, or you can use touch AF when in Live View.I think there’s a lot to like here.
Looking at video, the K3 Mark III shoots 4K video at up to 30 fps, which is actually a first for a K-mount camera. The video is sharp and crisp and looks really good. As mentioned, the in-body image stabilisation is a big help here - I shot everything here completely handheld, I never felt the need for a tripod. We’ve also got the mic and headphone jack, so using external mics is a cinch. The only thing here is the lack of an articulating screen. There were a few times when I wished I could have tilted the screen up if I was holding the camera below eye level, so that would have been a nice touch that is sadly absent here.
Overall, the Pentax K3 Mark III is a strongly performing camera in a well-built body with some nice, premium features. This is an extremely capable camera and a solid upgrade over the Mark II.
