5 Uncomfortable truths about the Pentax KF
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- čas přidán 30. 07. 2024
- I wanted to wait a few weeks to make this video about the new camera release from Ricoh (Pentax KF) so I could get a good take on the initial reaction from the Pentaxain community.
Pentax K70 Review • Pentax K70 | My Long T...
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Video Chapters
0:00 Why I waited to make this video
0:43 Truth Number 1
1:00 Truth Number 2
1:25 Truth Number 3
2:09 Truth Number 4
2:41 Truth Number 5
3:29 Truth 6 (Bonus)
#pentax #pentaxkf #pentaxk70
Are you going to buy the new Pentax KF? I'd be interested to know your reasons if you are & if your not.
Big fat hell no I have a Pentax k70 and I enjoy it although I had to pay and on my leg and end up needing to buy two instead of just the k1 Mark 2 but I had my eye on but there was a problem I had to contend with it's called body the first time for over $500 I got ripped off and then I had to go spend $900 for extremely used k70 with five lenses there's your price of the one camera that I need instead of two
I'll be very honest; we live in a world where most seem to have to jump to the next model as soon as it is released, even if the current model is plenty enough.
The KF was never marketed as an upgrade. They lost access to certains parts to keep making K-70's and probably still have too many K-70 parts to simply scrap the model and sell something better. When K-70 stock runs out, the KF is what newcommers buy instead of the K-70.
Not meant for us as an upgrade. Even for something as simple as changing a chip, or a screen, technically model names and numbers should change.
Unlike cars, we don't have, K-70 2016, K-70 2017, K... You get it.
So, new parts needed for continued assembly = new model name.
These are my opinions. We WANTED an upgrade, but disappointed it isn't, so we're yelling "heresy" at Pentax. But they never marketed it as an upgrade. Didn't even market it.
@@GODSPEEDseven They haven't done any marketing that's for sure 😅. With the K-70 showing as discontinued I'm assuming the KF is now their replacement of that camera, but its the same camera, which I find bizarre 🤔. It was earlier this year Pentax came out and said they were stepping away from mass sales, moving into more of a neich market with customers at the core. I'm just not sure a new entry level camera that's exactly the same as the previous model (bar a screen) is in line with their new business model? If I'm honest it's literally them clearing out the parts bin & relying on their fan base to pay good money for the privilege.
I think not... but I am considering getting a K3 Mark III. Wish I had a possibility to try it before buying.
@@Camilos1998 I'd have liked to give the K3iii a test run to see what it could do, I think it would have made for some great videos shooting in real world scenarios in which that camera is geared towards.
So glad I looked up the camera and watched this video.
You saved me hundreds in Australian dollars as I was about to buy the KF for $1299 AUD, but I can get the K-70 with a kit lens (18-55) for 999.
Grabbed yourself a nice deal!
I still have a K70 that I barely use since getting my K3M3 and my KP. So I will have to sit this model out. Thx.
Yeah I don't see any reason for you to buy the KF if you have those bodies already.
I am interested in buying this actually. I have a couple of one inch Panasonic's which takes good pictures but can leave me cold. I use a lot of film cameras and really only use digital for low light levels. I never had a DSLR before and read Pentax are good if you have M42 lenses (praktica owner) and I could use it also for scanning negatives and landscapes as it's WR in the body and lenses. It's going for £750 for a body and 18-55 in Jessops. For brand new and my basic needs ( more into film) would that be worth it possibly?
@@stephenlumsden280 I mean for what you want to use it for I think its going to fit the bill. It's pretty good in low light, I had the K-70 which is pretty much the same camera and I loved it! Just keep in mind the AF system is nothing special and you only have 1 card slot if that matters to you, if not then happy days 👌
I purchased the KF through Kolari to have it converted to full spectrum. For that I don’t need tracking or some other features from my K3 III or K1 II. Perhaps if Pentax comes up with a K1 IV I’ll have Kolari convert the K1 to full spectrum, but for the intended use it is great.
Interesting, I've no experience with converted cameras, i will say the images I've seen from full spectrum converted cameras look surreal!
No way! I bought my K3-II for about €900 new some years ago and then, when the "II" was discontinued (at least it was not available anywhere near me here in Germany), I bought a used original K3 as a back-up for €400, as at the time there was not yet any sign of the K3-III being available. Then, when it came out, the price was so high, that I would have never considered it. I don't see any justification for a KF at €950.
Pretty much the same here. I bought the K-70 new, picked up a K3 used, then I picked up a K3ii used.
I hot my K70 back last week from Apature Block Replacement mine failed the Pentax repair facility wanted $ 300.00 to replace it which is half the price of a new K70 P35 Photo Lab replaced it for $ 100.00 plus $ 25.00 for shipping it works fine now and is a great entry level camera which is what I bought it for at the time I got it I photographed mostly landscapes and did not need a fast autofocus camera to photograph landscapes and Bison at Yellowstone National Park. I had a K50 and I was worried its Apature Block would fail during my trip so the new K70 was bought for that reason why Ricoh would continue to sell cameras with a known defect is mind boggling and then charge half the price of a new camera to repair the defect is unconscionable. I've never had a minutes problem with my Pentax *istDL or K100D from2005 & 2006 there Apature blocks work just fine. That was one of the main reasons I bought my Pentax K3-11 as it does not suffer from Apature Block Failure. I spent the whole month of June on a European vacation no way would I have taken a K50 or K70 in fact my son's K50 did mess up and we got it working again but for how long?
If it turns out they are still using that bad solenoid in the KF I think even the die hard Pentaxians will be turned off from the brand. I'd like to pick up a K-30, 50 or 70 with a known aperture failure to have a crack at fixing it myself, I do like to tinker with stuff 😂
@@LeeIveson
Lee I do to but for $100.00 it wasn't worth me messing with it when the camera still looks brand new and other than the Apature block worked fine . Lee Haze probably has one yu could practice on
@@scrptwic I'm with you on that, there's no way I'd want to fool around with one I'd bought for good money. I'd want one with known failure, basically cheap enough so that if I fudged it up then its not a problem 🤣
It’s a pity what Ricoh Pentax are doing because they such a loyal fan base. It doesn’t bother me that they choose not to release a mirrorless, but it’s almost unforgivable that they never updated their lens lineup (how many screw-driver AF lenses still exist in the Pentax lineup?) and that they rarely, if ever, responded to the AF modules that Nikon and Canon were putting in their similarly priced DSLRs.
It is a shame because when they get it right it's brilliant.
@@LeeIveson Agree. I loved my K5 and my K30 and DA primes. To this day I’d love a K-1.
Not updating the lens mount is the whole reason I buy Pentax. I love the fact I can get focal length prime lenses for $100 or less.
Whats wrong with screw drive? Long after the internal driven lenses are broken, screw driven lenses will remain.
@ShutterKnack its not that's there's anything wrong with them, they are just slow to focus & noisy.
Hey there Lee. Thanks for the video, as usual!
The KF still is a great camera like the K-70. I believe that Ricoh was very clear that they had to rebadge the K-70 to the KF because they couldn't procure some parts from suppliers anymore. They can't sell the K-70 as it is because of that.
According to product designers I know, who happen to be Pentaxians, the rebadging is simply resetting the statistics because they have already solved the Aperture Block Failure (ABF) in the K-70 recently. According to many Japanese, who call ABF, The Black Death or The Black Plaque, they have been reassured by Ricoh Pentax that the KF won't get the "Black Death" or ABF anymore. If you spend time on Pentax Forums, it's been mentioned that Ricoh fixed the K-70 solenoid recently and that if you get a model manufactured in 2021 or later, the ABF issue is virtually gone. The rebadging just makes sense so they won't scare potential K-70 buyers away because of the issue with the past models. The product design engineers I talked to said that such rebadging is done in the industry quite commonly.
Regarding buying the KF, if I was going to buy the K-70, I would buy the KF instead because, firstly, I am sure that the ABF is completely gone and, secondly, even though the K-70 is on sale right now, there is no guarantee that the model I would be getting is manufactured in 2021 or earlier, as earlier models have the potential ABF.
I have the K-3 at the moment and such a tank will be with be for quite a while. I don't mind having a 2nd Pentax body and that can be the KF, although my 2nd body is a Lumix GM5 as I have passed on the K200D to another family member. The K-70 can mask as a mirrorless camera with smaller primes, hence they are popular. I know the KF, spec wise, can be dated but it still produces cleaner Pentax images than older flagships.
The specs don't really matter to me and for many other users, because Pentax is bought for their images, which the KF also produces. According to many gear reviewers in Japan, if camera buyers have a preference toward images being so natural like photos are just windows to the real thing, then Pentax and the KF would sell a lot. They said though, that the philosophy of Ricoh/Pentax has changed to suit their culture more, workshop-style manufacturing, customising and personalisation. Cheers again!
Thanks Eldo! The thing is for me If that's the case it's mind boggling that Rioch Pentax have not been shouting from the rooftops that this camera no longer has the apature block failure. It should have been bullet point number 1 on the updates from the K-70 to the KF? I'm no marketing expert by any means, but having to dig through forums to find out if a camera company has fixed a long known issue is not what I would call intuitive marketing 🤔
@@LeeIveson Welcome, Lee. I totally agree with you haha. I should have been "Pentax KF,with the all new Reinforced Aperture Control Technology" or something like that 😄. Perhaps they don't want to acknowledge that the problem even existed, as they inherited the contract with the manufacturer of the solenoid from the previous owner/guardian of Pentax, hence, they only had to whisper the solved issue to the gear reviewers.
It's similar to Sony's shutter/reliability problem with the A7 classic to A7 III. They might have had a fixed contract with their manufacturer and/or the product update cycle was too long before they could get to solve the issue. The difference is that Sony has its own marketing division for their imaging devices, Ricoh/Pentax doesn't. Cheers.
Hello mate nice thought provoking video Sir. The worrying thing is that I personally believe that very shortly we will have Pentax no more , and that would be like Christmas without the Queen’s message. Pentax is photography and as such in this day and age of lets face it brilliant cameras from all manufacturers , but none come close to the feeling of a Pentax in your hand. Hope to god that I’m wrong about them going the Olympus route.
Maybe we have all become spoiled to a point with technology 🤔 When I bought my first Pentax camera (K-70) I hadn't even heard of the brand before (ignorance on my part) once it was delivered & I picked it up for the first time I knew it felt right! I was that ignorant that I didn't even know they apparently had under par AF system 😐 but there's somthing special about those Pentax cameras, I agree that they might be on the way out if things don't change, but what a shame that would be. They do say that recessions kill off the businesses that are no longer viable? 😪
@@LeeIvesonYes, I think we just got to enthusiastic about new technology being released.
My Pentax journey is different as I knew exactly that if am going toward the more manual, screw-drive AF tech. I have been shooting mirrorless MFT since 2015. I shot Pentax film in the 90s extensively, by the way. Then after our first lockdown here, I noticed that my eyes got strained with the screen so I decided to give Pentax a go, in the form of the K200D, because of their superior OVF. Instantly, my eyes thanked me for doing so. Then I got the K-3 which my eyes, hand, mind, body and soul love like it's a match made in heaven.
Like you've demonstrated in your videos, Pentax cameras may require more input from the photographer, especially with screw-drive lenses. You have also shown that technique goes a long, long, long way. Your shots can put you right up their with sports and action photography as many today simply rely on AI tech. An example is the OM-1 where any photographer can instantly become a birder with it's ProCapture and Bird Detect Ai technology. With DSLRs, a lot of skills is required from the photographer.
I tend to love the manual input when doing BIF with screw-drive lenses now. They are very simiple and reliable and I always pre-focus to infinity. My shots are 97% in focus with that technique. I still haven't got the PLM yet but I know it's a proper game-changer.
Regarding businesses, I saw that post regarding Ricoh reassessing the 29 business they own, but then I realised that the article they were referring to was from April 2021. Still, this recession will hit everyone in the camera industry. They are all struggling at the moment. We're not even sure who will survive as we can see only a limited scale of what's happening. A company with good sales of a high-tech camera doesn't necessarily mean that profit is made. We're not sure how much they have borrowed.
I do hope that Ricoh Pentax will make it to the other side. The passion of their engineers and designers, who are also photographers, is a joy to follow. Cheers.
Hmmm. I have a K3 and love it but really would like the floppy screen. Now going to look at a K70.... I had a K30 which had the aperture block problem that showed itself one week out of the warranty but I had that repaired and it is still a great camera.
Maybe hold fire, to see if the KF still has the aperture block issue. I know I gave it a bashing in this video, but if they have finally fixed that issue then it could be a good option, maybe better than the K-70 purely based on that? I don't know how we'd find out, its a waiting game to hear if anyone has reported the problem. And yes the K-30 is still a nice camera 100%
I got a used K3-i with a Kit lens for $300, and it was like new, and I got a K3-iii like new (In box and everything) no lens for $1000. The extra $400 compared with what you paid makes it easily worth it.
Im using Kr for 11 years now. The only reason I'd like to upgrade is the noise at high levels of ISO. I prefer to buy the K1.(When I'll be able to afford it.) It was better to produce a Kr II instead. I wonder ,don't they make market research before announcing a new model?
I think they just do what they want in that department 😂
The (new) sensor shift based astro tracking combined with the (existing) flippy screen and being a robust camera would make the KF be a nice proposition in the astro niche. Apparently this fits at least some user demand. I think I will sell my K-70 at some point, to pay a tiny bit to a K3iii with its optional grip and way better autofocus.
Yeah with the K3iii now coming down in price its becoming more of an option. It's nice to see they are doing some decent firmware updates to the K3iii too!
Forgive me but what exactly is the difference between the KF sensor shift and the K-70? I did some reading and couldn't find anything that had changed on the KF as far as the astro capabilities.
@@Billy-rz1jg I don't think there is any difference, unless I missed that?
@@LeeIveson I'm not sure, I was referring to the beginning of mipmipmip's comment. But I read a bit more and couldn't find anything so I think there's no difference. I just started DSLR photography a couple months ago and I've been loving the K-70 so far! Thanks for the videos they've been a great reference for me!
I do have some older models, K100D, K10D and K-7 and am somewhat keen of giving something a bit more contemporary a spin, having watched this; I think I will stick to my plan of getting a Pentax K-3MkII second hand, it is more or less the same tech, if I understand it somewhat correctly. Its anyhow a secondary system for me. I primarily shoot within the M43 system.
The KF for me will be a nice camera IF it does not have the aperture block issue like all of its predecessors had. But you can't go wrong with any of the K3 series cameras they are all great in my opinion.
The more concerning thing about this release is the inconsistent messages at a corporate level. They had hinted at more specialised quality gear then they release the KF an outdated warmed up K70. What we all wanted was a K90 with a K70 like body that had a K3 III sensor inside.
However on the bright side I believe they’ve hinted at a K3 III Monochrome which would be great, I think Pentax should look to niches, the things other companies won’t release. They’re missing out by keeping all the compacts under Ricoh brand, how many street photographers or those looking for an EDC would buy a digital Pentax MX with a fixed 50mm f1.7. Yeah it would be still niche but there’s riches in niches 💰💰💰
Definitely mixed messages coming out of Pentax HQ!
My K70 died a week ago it was only 7 months old, mirror stuck up , shutter stuck open. Unable to take a photo. Got call today from Pentax, the camera is unrepairable and they are replacing it with a new K70. I have left a voicemail reply with Pentax asking to replace it with a KF , find out tomorrow what they doing
That's a shame. Good idea asking for the KF though, that makes sense, even if you have to add a little to make up the difference.
@@LeeIveson KF replacement given to me today. Satobi a custom feature shoots photos like my late father shot with his camera during the Vietnam war. My k5ii I can't find satobi so a nice nostalgic feature
@@melbournepixs Oh wow! That's a great result. That's nice that you can somewhat replicate that nostalgic feeling using Satobi too. Make sure you take plenty of shots with your new KF!
If they fixed the aperture block issue, it's a buy for me
Lets hope they have!
Might as well get a Z50 or an XE4 plus a K mount adapter...
Do the Z50 or XE4 have good weather sealing? I shoot a lot in harsh condition but if they do have top weather sealing It could be an option in the future?
I can't believe how short some peoples memories are. Have we already forgotten the epic 2yr build up to the K3III with the 'Stories'?!?! Look... when Pentax want you to know about a forthcoming product that they CARE about... they'll bloody well let you know to the point that they become a meme! Otherwise all they've really been doing is production line changes. Same with the HD FA Ltds, out of the blue they announce this, no build up, just 'here they are, available next month'. But really what the KF and HD FA's represent are production line shifts. With the KF they could have easily called it the K70 and just released a statement that going forward new K-70's will have a better screen and no one would be saying 'omg what a shit new camera from Pentax!', but no... Pentax need to ANNOUNCE it, just like this did with the HD FA Ltds and it does MORE HARM than good. Because then we as the customers/public believe that these are their best bona fide attempts by Pentax as a new replacement...
Pentax has undergone massive changes in the last year or two, the retreat to the Japan has signaled a lot of production line shifts and this is what we're seeing. The real takeaway message is;
- don't expect proper DFA Ltd replacements for the 31 43 and 77 any time soon.
- don't expect a new entry level camera from Pentax that has better specs than the K-70 (because it is the KF).
- expect more subtle upgrades to current lenses and cameras, such as the HD FA Ltds, DFA 100 Macro, KF etc. You can call it 'new' if you like.
So any more 'new stuff' from Pentax is either gonna be a proper new thing (like the DFA21), or a K3III Monochrome etc, but also silly production line changes that really ought to be quietly mentioned without fuss.
This is the way . . . The way of Pentax 🌅
Not to mention these small changes come with hefty price increases.
I bought a K5 like new for £160 ish year and a half ago.
Love it. Why would i buy new. Apart from a bit better sensor its not a reason to.
I use Pentax cameras since 2012 amongst other brands. I use them rarely these days, they are interesting relics of bygone times. I had a hard time to understand the long and painful birth of the K3III and the justification of existence. The appearance of the KF, as You describe it, just leaves my head shaking in disbelief. What does Ricoh expect from this move? I wonder what they were smoking making this decision.
I think looking at the KF now, it's just a rebranding of the K-70 which I actually really enjoyed owning that camera. But I feel they should have done something to differentiate the KF from the K-70, a K-90 would have been the move in my opinion. As for the K-3 iii I think that is a very capable camera, my gripe at the time of release was the price point to be honest.
@@LeeIveson Yes, the price point of the K3III is simply absurd. My K3 (2013) was about $850. Pentax was renown for high quality at affordable prices. That sure has changed into 'grotesque pricing for superseded tech'. I still use my 5 ltd. Pentax primes on different cameras though.
@@takuan650Niche is never going to be cheap, they went from a major brand to niche. I bailed out recently and feel relieved 😌
I watch a lot of you videos and do enjoy them. Thank you for them. I just watched a couple videos by Luigi Barbano on the KF. He said something that made me think. The K70 is a much loved camera that has been out for a number of years. So to K70 users it is old stuff. But Mr. Barbano never used a K70. So to someone who has never used the K70 then the KF is still a new and excellent camera even at the current higher price point then the K70. The KF compared to most other manufactures offers a lot for benefit and quality against cost. But like most electronics the price is likely to come down in time. I am also hoping that the KF is a bit of a stop gap to the K90 (dreaming). Mr. Barbano had a lot of praise for the KF. Not perfect, but what is. So someone looking for a feature filled camera as entry or moving up from say a K110D, K200D, K50 or even just a newer K70 then the KF is there.
I agree, a nice upgrade for those who are coming from older models. I actually really loved my K-70, I have a review video on the K-70 & talk about all of the great features the camera has, also who I think the camera is for. I suppose that video pretty much transitions over to the KF as it's pretty much identical.
Its for 859 new here, is it a good buy?
@@alexoshhh Where are you based? I haven't kept upto sync with what the KF is selling for these days so I'm not sure?
@@LeeIveson slovakia
They couldn’t make the K70 any more. There were chips and other parts that became unavailable. The KF is there to put their entry level DSLR back into production to fill the same niche by redesigning it with parts that are available. I don’t believe that they really see it as a new product either, just a means to keep a product spec alive.
They seem a little all over the place at the moment, introducing the entry level KF but then saying they want to look into the niche market with mono only sensors and more recently they are talking about making new film cameras? There's no clear direction at the moment, I personally think they should have made some new lenses to compliment the K3iii.
Short answer...No, I wouldnt.
I can understand the reason Pentax released this "new" cam, I can understand why a pentax user who would like to upgrade an older model (or someone who'd like to get a 2nd body next to a K33 or a K1) would choose it ...but I cant see how this would be a cam for someone to come into the brand.
Hopefully it was just something for the name of the brand to be heard ("we're not dead, see? We produce new gear") for 2022.
But what Pentax really needs is anew FF, maybe a new KPii as a compact model next to the K33 (with a flipscreen!) and even a new MF model now there's a market for this.
I'm not optimistic about either of those though (at least for 2023)
Yeah I can't see this being a camera to bring new blood to the brand, at least not with those specs in 2022. Thinking about the camera releases from Pentax over the last 10 years or so, it looks like they have the "KP" type of camera to follow their entry level the year after so we might see something in 2023? And then maybe a K1iii in 2024? I'd be interested to see how many cameras they have sold over the past few years though.
A year ago my answer would have been a hard no. With a K3III, K-1 and K-1II, why would I? I've had the K-70 before , twice in fact, and it was certainly a great camera. Worth well more than Pentax asking price. But it's their entry-level, the beginner camera, right?
So here we are a year later and I've bought a KF. Why? Because, darn it, I missed the little K-70.
It turned out it was the perfect stick-in-the-console camera with an 18-135 on it. It's light and small, and it's got a very good sensor, plenty of resolution, IBIS, and Pixel-shift. Gosh, way more than would be expected at the current price point. It's so competent I trusted the KF to my primary ILC on my recent vacation, leaving the K3III and the full-frames at home. It doesn't take up much room and coupled nicely with that 18-135 and a 35 Macro.
I won't make the mistake again of selling the smallest of current Pentax DSLR's. It's too useful, even as a second carry to avoid field lens changes.
If you can swing the costs it makes a great one-two punch along with one of Pentax's upper-tier bodies.
I've had 3 K-70's at this point, I always ended up missing the flip screen for low down shots. In fact I could have really done with that flip screen just yesterday shooting on the woodland floor 😑 I had to literally lay on the floor to see the shot I wanted. The KF from what I've heard does not suffer from the apature block issue so if that's the case I'd 100% recommend it to beginners & more experienced shooters. Sounds like you have bagged yourself a great travel companion in the KF 👌
Yep, bit sad but true: The KF is a mere placeholder for the Pentax entry level. Once the price falls, as it eventually will, you will get a pretty capable APS-C entry model, as long as you don't need effective AF tracking. Whether they've fixed the Achilles' heel of the K-70, the iffy-quality selenoid which could compromise the otherwise excellent durability of the camera, remains a moot point though. Honestly, if you're not confused about your love of photography and your appreciation of the Pentax system, save up for one of the no-BS flagship models. Great and totally honest video, Lee.
Yeah it's not what I wanted to see personally. I'm actually surprised that they have brought another entry level camera out, but I suppose from a financial perspective it makes sense to use up all those K-70 parts on the KF. Let's see if they bring a KP replacement out and then a K1iii maybe? Hopefully with genuine upgrades . . .
@@LeeIveson It would be better if they would update their lenses and i don't mean selling re-labelled Tamron zooms at double the price. The Kit-lens DA 18-55mm is miserable and completely outdated. It may be ok on a 12MP camera but we are in the year 2022. Also the two plastic lenses DA 35mm and DA 50mm belong in the museum for a long time, not only because of the AF but also because of the image quality (unfortunately i owned both). The optics of the D-FA 35mm 2.0 are also from the 90s, as are the 31/43/77mm lenses. But I don't think much is happening at Ricoh any more.
@@christianmayrhofer4178lol never heard so much wrong information about lenses , i would be happy if we got the 90s quality back . The new ones are crap as in most brands.
For new users it is NOT a problem, for K-S2 and K-70 owners, maybe, but you do not need or to have to trade up for the newest version of a Pentax camera. I have the KS2 and the only two features I need from the K-70 and KF are the 24mp sensor and pixel shift. Otherwise, the camera I crave right now is the K-1. After buying my K-S2 y bought a K20D and a K110D, used. Right now I am just buying lenses. For new users, it is a no-brainer, the KF is the thing.
For people already in the Pentax system upgrading to the KF from older models makes sense (by older I don't mean the K70 or K-S2, I mean like K-30 old) they probably have some nice glass to use on it. But looking at it from a new users point of view, what would make you buy the KF over other brands offerings? When I bought the K-70 I was that new user, it had everything I wanted at a great price I don't think that applies in 2022 to the KF in my opinion.
@@LeeIveson For new users and for Pentax users that have not upgraded cameras prior to the K-S2, it makes more sense to buy the KF, It will not make much sense for K-S2 or K70 users, unless they need a second body, then skip the K-S2 and the K70 and go straight to the new KF. Maybe, the solenoid problem has been fixed. As a K-S2 user, the only body I crave is the K1 MII. I will have one, new, eventually. I have the lenses for it... Live long and prosper, you and Pentax.
I have the KS2 which I bought at the time rather than the K70 because I thought it offered better value. So, no, I won’t be buying the the KF. The KS2 performs flawlessly. I wish I had not sold my K3, though 😅.
I own the K-70 and the K-3 ii. I bought the K-3 ii used this year as a second camera to get a more pro body and higher frame rate for my sports photography. Even though the K-3 ii has some nice features such as built in GPS ,higher fps and more focusing points, guess what, the K-70 is my go to main camera for all other uses than sports. This is for one simple reason, the articulating screen. It really ads an extra dimension, especially since IQ is pretty much the same, between the two. However, I don`t understand Ricoh's marketing strategy with rebranding the K-70. As I understand it, they have had to change the manufacturer for some of the parts used, however, could they not just change the name to K-70 ii. I mean, the K-3 iii is basically a new camera, and they did not rebrand that. They could have just dropped it to market as K-70ii and mentioned the upgraded screen, no fuzz. Now though, they come across as even more of a zombie manufacturer. I like Pentax and I don`t want to change brands, however, if I am to invest serious money in new Pentax gear I need to see some robust announcements that reassures that they are in it for the long run. This does not have to be mirror-less, but they do need to launch new models with real upgrades such as sensor tech, resolution, AF etc. AND, Pentax is not a sports centric camera, so at the very least all of their new models should have an articulating screen. If Pentax is not going mirror-less they should at the very least be the top choice brand for DSLRs. As it is, my money now goes towards gear and vintage lenses that can be easily adapted to other brands, if I ever were to switch. I hope that I don't have to.
That's pretty much how it went for me, I loved the K-70 with it's flip out screen & the image quality was great! I picked up a K-3 just to try out for the same reason basically to shoot action outdoors in all weather conditions, I instantly got on with the K-3 with the extra buttons on the body it really suited me for changing settings on the fly.
@@LeeIveson Yeah, your video was a good input for my decision to do the same:-) Anyway, have you reflected any on the future of Pentax and how that may line up with any future purchasing plans?
@@thefincapaloma I've just seen the video James (Snappiness) put out that Pentax are going to bring out some film bodies in the future. For me personally that is not of interest, at least not at this point in time. I still enjoy using my Pentax K3 & K5 but the more time I've spent shooting action with that 7D MKii the more I keep looking at some of the L series lenses, especially the 135 f2. It's hard to say really, I think eventually I'll end up with a mirrorless system for paid work, how long that takes who knows?
Thanks for this review Lee. I'd like to offer a more positive perspective. The KF is currently priced at $850. When supplies run out of the K70 the price on the KF will drop and it will offer exceptional value in relation to other 25 MP cameras like the Fuji and Sony. ASP-c mirrorless cameras in this range are all $1,000 + and more like $1200 +. If the KF had all the features that people are asking for it would hurt sales of the K3iii unless they priced it much higher. The reality is that cameras are reaching a ceiling in terms of innovation. The fact that the the 7 year old K70 is still a fantastic camera proves this. These are just my opinions, formed after I researched altervatives to the K70. Keep up the great work.
I agree Guy, that will be the time to buy the KF when the price drops a little further. And if there's no reported issues with the solenoid it's going to be a very good option. 👌
Bought, thru Adorama a new KF today! I'm a old Pentaxian having been raised on a Spotmatic and ES that I bought in Japan when stationed there. Bouth a MEsuper in the 80s and loved it, bunch of lenses too. Then I left photography. Now I'm back in and bought a K3ii which I like okay, also have a K-01 that I kinda like to, but it's weird. Wanted a little smaller machine and was heading to a K-70 but then decided to spend the addition 2 C notes for a new KP. I'm excited. Free shipping they say 3 days. How will I sleep at night?
Keeping my K-70, if I do upgrade it will be K3iii.
I bought my K-70 second hand with a 2 year warranty (previously only taken 13 images) so I imagine I will have it for years yet!
That's an awesome deal you got on your K-70!
@@LeeIveson everyone overlooks CEX!
@@onlyClaire I'm one of them! I might have a call in next time I'm in town.
@@LeeIveson online it the best way to use them, items are posted from the store that stocks the item.
I think the issue is they don’t want to spend any money.
Reading a comment by Michael Russo, below. The one issue with buying Pentax Cameras is parts and service availability. Recently, I bought a used LX that I had been craving most of my life. Listed as (Problem) on E-bay, I took the chance. Everything is fine with it except the problem with the selector knob, all electronic speeds default to auto when manual speeds are selected. Same with the K110D I bought for around $50.00 to play in the 6Mp field, everything works except, it will not see nor format Sd cards or fire the shutter, it will fire the shutter when the preview is used. Service and parts are hard to get or expensive. My working Pentax bodies are Spotmatic SP, F, KM, KX, MX, LX (sorta...) K20D and K-S2.
I will try upgrading the firmware on the K110D, hoping it is a problem with corrupt firmware, otherwise, TO THE BIN!
@@carlosencarnacion9667 You could always use it as a showpiece
I experienced the parts/service issue with my first K70. Took around 5 month to get back to me!
When people ask me about Pentx I tell them that they are much better off going with a K1 or K3, and if they don't have the budget for a new one, go used. Most Pentax owners are incredibly good with their cameras, and so every one I've bought (2, a small sample) has been in almost new condition.
Lee, generally I agree with all points except one detail for point 3. AF in K70 is not the same tech as in K-30.
KF has a one generation newer AF system, SAFOX X which derives from K5II (K30 had K5 version, which was SAFOX IX)... even if it's exactly the same AF module as in K-S2 and K-70.
Both have 11 AF points with 9 cross-points. So... what's the difference between those two? SAFOX X points are senstive up to -3EV, while IX was only for -1EV.
Moreover SAFOX X's center point is equipped with f/2.8 linear flux sensor for "extra-extra" precision.
Shortly... even if AF of KF is lackluster, it is much better than the one from K-30.
I never got that deep into it but I'll take your word for it! I wonder how much difference that would make in the real world though? I'm sure we will find out soon enough, I think Lee Haze has one on order (not a blue one haha) so he will be able to test that out against his K-70.
@@LeeIveson I suppose it will be the same as K-70
I'm a k30 owner, looking for somthing a bit more modern let's say. I can get body only KF for £764 with Pentax 50mm f1.8 free with a promotion. Should I?
You forgot the satori filter, or whatever those presets are called. Those are worth a $200 markup.
I'm kidding. I don't know wtf Pentax is thinking. I said on another forum that Pentax needed an entry level camera in the $899 range with good continuous autofocus and a higher frame rate in the 8 fps range. It needs to compete with the Sony A6400, Fuji XS10, etc. Pentax delivered the price, but no improvements.
Ah yes I did miss that! Not my cup of tea but some may find it useful. The thing is, I know Pentax aren't renowned for their AF capabilities I get it, it's more of the fact they are literally just sticking a new name on an existing model camera thinking that its going to get people to open their wallets? If they had gone about this differently it wouldn't have caused this amount of backlash. They should have just brought out a Monochrome Ltd Edition K-70 1000 units world wide . . .
200 mark up? What r u smokin?.
So it's a brand new K70 mkii with an updated screen. That's good news!
I put a 28-200 full frame lens on mine, awesome
Ive the K-70 now (about 2 years )and dont get a chance to use it enough TBH. In Ireland the resale and second hand Market for Pentax is almost non existent with only 1 actual shop selling Pentax new in Dublin even. Canon and Nikon are every where over here, sad really because at 1 point every second house in the country had the Pentax ME super !
It's the same over here in England Pat. The market for Pentax is very small.
@@LeeIveson we,r a dying breath unfortunately ! do u thing you,l go fully Canon at some point or are you happy going between the two systems !!
@@pathogan4854 I must admit I love the Canon for shooting fast action. But I also love my Pentax cameras & lenses for everything else . . .
No it’s not for me.I have all that I need with my KP and K3iii both great pieces of kit. I had a K70 and loved it but after suffering aperture block failure on both a Ks2 and a K50 I wasn’t prepared to go down that path again and sold it. All that said I’ve no doubt it is an excellent entry level camera albeit an expensive one.
I can't see any serious numbers being sold, or many Pentaxians buying this, even if there's a substantial price drop in 2023.
BTW, I appreciate the K-30 reference. I picked up one in mint used condition for €114/£98 a, few months ago, just because. I figured that if the aperture block fails in it after a while, who cares? I wouldn't feel that way if I'd shelled out wads of cash for a brand new KF though!
Exactly!
I had the opportunity to choose between a K70 and a KF, due to the price increase for simply just an altered badging i choose the K70 of course. As i found out that the solenoid mostly was covered with Production beginning 2021, i had no bad feeling.
The best characterisation of the KF was as a "Supply chain version" due to unavailability of the original screen. Would there have been REAL improvements, like better sensor, better chip, better video capabilities,.... probably my decision would have been another. But an altered printing on the body is and was never worth a few HUNDRED bucks.
If i look at my newest gem due to to a real good rebatte, cost me just 200 bucks more than a KF but has FF, GPS, double card slot,...
What's the new gem of a camera?
@@LeeIveson It is the K1-II, was bundled with the FA 35 2,0 at a trade-fair price
@@tomsun3159 Ahh that certainly is a gem then!
Somewhere I watched a video with someone uses old cameras and he shot amazing bird photos with a K10.
Could have been James over at Snappiness, he likes to see what the older DSLR's can do.
@@LeeIveson Yes thank you for the hint, I found this video again.
The Snappiness guy video is called:
"Why I'm not so worried about High ISO anymore - Pentax K10D and DA* 300mm F4 Wildlife Photography".
He is using a cheap old camera but on the other side he is using a upper class lens 300mm f4 on it.
He should have kept it simple with a consumer lens.
here one K-70 shooter with O-GPS 1 astrotracer is happy 🙂
I like astrotracer too but I didn't need it when I photographed the Milky Way 20 second exposure with my Rokinon 14mm2.8 gave me a great picture with my K70 I think it's a great camera I just no longer trust it for anything critical like vacation photos. I was in Europe for the month of June my Pentax K3-11 performed flawlessly. I got back and took my K70 to a fourth of July parade all my pictures were dark from the black death (ABF) so I sent it to Oregon for repair Photo Lab 35 repairs nothing but failed Apature blocks on Pentax cameras
I would avoid buying any consumer level Pentax. Not they are all bad, but if you buy a few years out, they have a repair or defect history and you can avoid them. My KP, the flex cable to the LCD failed, cracked and I hardly used the flippy screen. Makes me a bit mad, especially when Pentax says there are no parts. Beware.
I had a bad experience with Pentax warranty getting parts for my first K-70, took 5 months for it to get back to me! That's why I bought the K3, but ended up liking that camera more and sold the K-70!
@@LeeIveson I love my K3 and K5. I still have an old *istDS that refuses to die. Maybe that is why I am a bit disappointed in the KP. Great camera over all but can't get parts for it? Really Pentax?
I believe "truth" No. 1" summarizes everything, the rest is redundant for me. By the way, Pentax changed the mentioned defective selenoid long ago.
I originally started with a K-S2, back when Costco were selling it bundled with two kit lenses and a carrying bag I'm sure no one ever used. A couple years ago it developed the Aperture Block Failure. I tried replacing the solenoid, but (somehow) ended up making things worse. I thought, "Maybe I can get by with a phone camera now," and got a Pixel 6 Pro. ...Uh, no. Very very no. So I was without a proper camera for a few months.
Happily, I found a K-70 on eBay and ended up placing the high bid, which was still an excellent deal. The K-70 and the K-S2 have a few key differences, but are othewise identical, including the flip-out display. And since its manufacturing date is in 2022, it _apparently_ won't suffer from the ABF issue.
And yes, it's still a lovely camera.
That's the only downside the K-70 used to have, take the aperture block issue away and you have yourself an even more superb camera!
The sensor and the image processor in the K-70 is better than the fuji x-t4 sensor and processor. It have more dinamic range.The autofocus in the K-70 is not great. The autofocus of the fuji x-t4 is not great in low light situation. I think the K-70 and the KF still a good beginner camera for studio portrait . The best lense I had with my x-t4 was the 16-50 lens. It d'ont resolve the 40 mp of the new x-t5 and 40mp x-h2 camera. The autofocus of the fuji 50 to 140 was not good if you whent with more than 90 milimiter the eye autofocus was not working. . the autofocus with the 50-140 lens was not able to keep with a modeling girl for fashion shoot in winther at minus -10c. the girl was turning around for movement in the picture. I had only 1 good piture in 100 of them. It my be mi fault of not knowing the camera enoufgh. A guy with a Nikon D850 had better result. A guy with a Canon 5 D mark 3 and 5 D mark 4 had better result. The k-70 might not be a good family camera if you want the fastest autofocus. . The picture quality of the K-70 is awsomme. I think Pentax need some new PLM lens to match the K-3III.
That's interesting Richard. I always loved the images made by the K-70, it was just a few little things that lead to me selling it. I had actually thought about the X-T4 at one point, maybe not now!
@@LeeIveson My K-70 is still on warranty. I wanted a rugged camera to carry around all the time. The K-70 meets this need. Using the X-T4 in winter was not very pleasant. The buttons were small and the dials were slippery. Not the top buttons, the forward and back ones were. I wasn't able to tour them without turning on the push function. I wanted its dials to change the settings quickly and I was not able. the X-T4 is more expensive than the K-70. The X-T4's 50-140 lens was slow to focus. I'm not a fan of the x-trans sensor. I do not photograph sports. If I want something faster than the K-70 I will go for a more professional box. The KF is to similar to the K-70 to change.
Sure why not, if i'll have the money for it. The Pentak K3 III is expensive and the Pentax KF is a better alternative.
I had the same thoughts about the K3iii price tag, do you own any Pentax cameras at the moment?
@@LeeIveson , yup old stuff like the Kr and the K01, thats why I want to upgrade my camera plus my K01 is no longer working because of Aperture block.
@@nsnoesuarez I'd agree the KF makes total sense for yourself to upgrade to, especially if you have some nice K-mount glass you want to keep on using! And I think you would see a massive differance in image quality with the KF in comparison to your current bodies. Good luck & let me know what you think of the KF if you end up getting one!
Mam K3 I K30. Po awarii selenoidu w K30 i braku akcji serwisowej ze strony Pentaxa już nigdy nie kupię body tej firmy ani obiektywu.
Sorry to hear about your problem with the solenoid in your K-30
Pass if it had a new bsi sensor and better autofocus ok it would be worth more money but not this....
Oh yeah a BSI sensor would be very nice! But I'm afraid this is what they gave us, another K-70.
My K5 still Amazing so no i will not get it..
Yep the K5 is still a lovley camera.
As an avid and faithful Pentax user, I hate to say that the dreaded aperture block is indeed a deal breaker for me. I have owned pretty much every Pentax body till KS2. KS2 was extremely handy tool until it failed me on a mission critical assignment. During a live show at critical moment KS2 aperture block gave up. I shot the critical event at F16 or F22 or something to that effect. I do not know how but just because of shear luck I was able to recover some of the images from the raw files. I thought this may be one time deal, sent the camera for repair to precision camera. They charged me something like $250, the aperture block was fixed.....However from that day onward KS2 never took the prime spot in my camera bag. About 7 months later the aperture block gave away. Tried to call Precision camera to see if they could do anything about it .... They said said yes they could repair the camera again for $350 !!!!! That was the time when I decided to turn away from Pentax for good. I still have Pentax gear which I enjoy. K3 body I have no longer can hold the date/time value and every time I turn on the camera the display pops up which I pretty much ignore. Pentax K70, KF ... they may be good tool but they just are not dependable anymore for serious photography. It is heartbreaking to go away from Pentax but I am not going to buy any Pentax camera bodies anymore. It makes no economical sense.
Personally I never experienced the apature block issue with my K-70, I'm not 100% sure but I heard that the KF does not suffer from that issue anymore? Its a shame about your experience, one of the reasons I decided to sell my K-70 was that the K3 & K3ii were geared towards professional use with the all important dual card slots & bigger batteries topping the list for myself. What was your critical assignment if you don't mind me asking?
@@LeeIveson It was musical stage performance ...something on the lines of Broadway musical. I was shooting with K3 and KS2. K3 had wide angle lens, KS2 had telephoto. I casually happened to look at LCD while buffer was full and to my horror all I saw was dark screen. Had no time to swap lenses. At times Pentax has been very moderately priced cameras (compared to others at the time) and most importantly it matched my shooting style perfectly.
I fixed my K30 with the elusive white solenoid I scavenged from an old DSii DSLR body I bought for £5 on Ebay, actually there were 2x white solenoids I got which never failed as they were made in Japan.
I then sold the K30, bought a K70 but then sold entire Pentax system last week for Lumix S5ii FF which seems to be a new home for Pentax traitors and well under 75 years old. 😊
@@LeeIvesonKF4 lenses used electronic aperture so no aperture failure issue. Pentax APSC cameras would never ever be used by any pros, none!
@@nocturnal1970 How can you be sure though?