I was always a Pentax shooter, but last year changed to Nikon. That didnt last long. Pentax cameras are just a better 'fit' for me. The K-3 really takes off from where the fantastic K-5 did a few years ago. It's rugged, fast, and incredibly well built.

Easy to use; Compact; Build quality

The flagship Pentax K-3 is a new semi-professional DSLR camera. Key features of the K-3 include a 24 megapixel APS-C sensor with an anti-aliasing simulator rather than an optical anti-aliasing filter, 27-point Safox XI AF module that remains operational down to -3EV, 86,000 pixel RGB light-metering...

Very good camera to rekindle my interest in photography, has auto operation but the ability to select aperture, shutter speed, etc, function priority.

I brought it for bird photography. This camera is amazing and takes beautiful photos.

The K-3 ($1,299.95 direct, body only) takes a lot of what Pentax cameras are known for-robust weather sealing, excellent control layout, and fantastic high ISO image quality-and couples it with the best-yet Pentax autofocus system and an impressive burst shooting mode.

Excellent high ISO image quality; Shoots at 8.1fps; Fast, 27-point autofocus system; In-camera shake reduction; Selectable simulated low-pass filter; Weather-sealed design; Pentaprism viewfinder; Sharp rear display; Top-notch control layout; Dual SD card slots; PC sync flash socket

Limited autofocus during video recording; A little slow to start; Lacks built-in GPS or Wi-Fi

And then there's the video… The K-3 gets an improved video capability with a more seamless video interface and a wide variety of capture frame rates for both its full HD and HD resolution clips.

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

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

Ricoh's flagship APS-C camera, the 24-megapixel Pentax K-3 is jam-packed with clever technology, yet it's also affordably priced and among the very smallest enthusiast DSLRs. As well as overhauled imaging, autofocus, and metering, it also boasts an industry-first system that lets you choose whether...

Top-notch image quality; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Unique on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots; Optional Wi-Fi remote control, Unusually compact for an enthusiast DSLR, Great ergonomics; movie, focus and...

AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a DSLR; Rather dated-looking menu system; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors; Less third-party support than some rivals, Pentax's smaller market share means less third-party support, AE-lock button is...

Upgraded to the K3 from the K30. The K3 is awesome value for money when you compare it to Nikon/Canon rivals. The RAW files this camera produces are a joy to use. The build quality of this camera is awesome - the K3 makes similar priced cameras such as the D5500 feel like a toy.

great build quality and ergonomics; good stabilization; great IQ

shortish battery life

It might be playing third-fiddle to Canon and Nikon, but Pentax - now part of Ricoh Imaging - is a venerable name in the field of photography. Its long history means that its DSLRs, like the now-top-spec K-3, can more than hold their own.

Price; rugged build quality; controls and menus are very well thought-out; stills performance is excellent

Grain at middling sensitivities; noise on video soundtrack caused by lens mechanics; smaller lens arsenal than competition

When Pentax announced the K-3 in October as the new flagship model in its line-up it was met with considerable interest and acclaim, even before the initial reviews appeared. Not only was its 24-megapixel resolution the highest in the range; it also introduced an exciting technological innovation...