Nikon D5200 sensor above and Pentax K-3 sensor below. Does not look to be same sensor at all.
Pentax K-3 Q&A
Q: Who is the manufacturer of the K-3's 24-megapixel CMOS sensor?
A: Sony.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/hands-on-with-pentax-k-3-in-japan.html
http://www.onfoto.ru/review/Pentax-K-3/2520.html
Bad software SR with additional crop.
Our friends, moire and aliasing, don't want to leave us.
Nikon D600 :
Pentax K-3 :
In almost every shot, the Pentax K-3 had much better color quality than the Nikon D600. Also, the Pentax K-3 did a much better job of auto selecting the appropriate shutter speed while having the camera set to aperture priority. The Pentax K-3 also did a better job of rendering a more pleasing contrast in a variety of situations. Finally, the image sharpness was visibly more appealing in the Pentax K-3 than the Nikon D600.
This test clearly shows the full frame Nikon D600 does not have image quality that is nearly as appealing or accurate as the cropped sensor Pentax K-3. Plus, the Pentax K-3 is currently $500 less expensive than the Nikon D600.
Camera is in stock at http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1007545-REG/pentax_15530_k_3_dslr_camera.html (includes free 32GB card also)
Check Pentax K-3 Impressions at PhotoPlus at http://www.pentaxforums.com/news/pentax-k-3-impressions-at-photoplus.html#more
Pretty positive first impressions at http://www.thephoblographer.com/2013/11/07/first-impressions-pentax-k3/
The first thing that strikes the new user is that the shutter is so, so quiet and smooth. This is probably the quietest DSLR. The camera is highly responsive, with minimal delay when firing the shutter. The AF seems to lock on in the dullest light with no difficulty and the speed has been significantly improved.
Exposure was accurate, full exposure being given without tending to blow out the highlights. The options remain as to matrix, centre-weighted or spot measurement. The very fine quality of Pentax JPEG files remains intact.
Video encoding is now AVC/H.264, provision is made for stereo sound recording using external microphones and a headphone jack is provided. The sound levels can be adjusted in the camera and level metering is provided for this.
Pentax now seems have nudged into the lead with the K-3 and for a rugged, well specified all weather camera . Pentax produced outstanding DSLR, well specified and rugged.
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/pentax-k-3-digital-slr-review-23409
The K-3 has the most capable video mode of any Pentax to date, but the best is unfortunately not good enough to beat the competition. While the K-3's video mode has been enhanced with higher frame rates, a headphone jack, better audio sampling, and full manual controls, there are a few things that will still prevent the Pentax K-3 from being an ideal candidate for shooting videos.
One issue is the K-3 stabilizes its videos electronically, which may introduce unwanted artifacts. Sensor-based stabilization is noisy and might be audible while recording, so it seems that Pentax has decided to refrain from going down that route altogether (the K-5 did have mechanical SR in video mode, but future cameras did not). In-lens stabilization would be the best choice for video for when you're not on a tripod.
Second, the K-3's video autofocus is still very poor. There is no continuous AF, and the on-demand AF that has been added is too slow to be dependable. Furthermore, the lack of focus peaking during recording also makes manual focusing tough. This was a feature that had otherwise hoped for.
http://www.pentaxforums.com/reviews/pentax-k-3-review/introduction.html
Since the critiques of the video in the article above have to do with IS and autofocus, two things I don't use, I would be interested in the IQ of the actual vid. The video sample above has very good color and is certainly sharp--maybe even oversharpened, would like to see some more samples.
Camera is in stock, even with small discount - http://www.amazon.com/Pentax-K-3-24MP-Camera-3-2-Inch/dp/B00FKLQ0LW/
My understanding is that HDMI out is not clean but overlay with video info that can't be turned off? (Good for viewing but not recording).
Few samples from PB
Movie - http://img.photographyblog.com/reviews/pentax_k3/photos/pentax_k3.mov
DXOmark results
The Pentax K-3 is the most full-featured prosumer DSLR camera on the market, but not only that, it also delivers great performance, weather-resistant build quality, slick handling and excellent image quality too.
The K-3's image quality is excellent, producing noise-free images all the way from ISO 100-800. Noise starts to become apparent at ISO 1600, with a little more noise and smearing of fine detail at the higher settings of 3200 and 6400.
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