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Pentax K3 offers new DSLR features

CR Kennedy has announced November 1 availability of the ground-breaking Pentax K3 DSLR, at a body-only RRP of $1429.

The Pentax K3  is the first DSLR to offer both AA filter-free and filtered shooting.
The Pentax K3 is the first DSLR to offer both AA filter-free and filtered shooting.

The K3 features a weather-resistant, dustproof body and a 24-megapixel APS-size (28×23.5mm) CMOS image sensor. It’s ground-breaking in providing photographers the option of anti-alias fltered or filter-free shooting. (The camera uses an anti-alias simulator, rather than an actual filter.)

The anti-aliasing simulator in the camera uses the sensor-shift stabilisation system to apply microscopic vibrations to the image sensor unit at the sub-pixel level during image exposure, generating the same level of moiré-reduction effect as an optical anti-aliasing filter.

Users can switch the filter on and off, and can also adjust the level of the effect in line with the requirements of a particular scene or subject.

The Pentax SR (shake reduction) system has been improved to provide more stable and effective camera-shake compensation and, because it tilts the image sensor unit in all directions, it can also help the camera to offer handy shooting functions, including auto level compensation, image-composition fine-adjustment, and ‘Astro Tracer’, which simplifies advanced astronomical photography in combination with the optional O-GPS1 GPS Unit.

The K-3 also comes with a new AF module that has an expanded image-area coverage using 27 AF sensors (25 cross-type sensors positioned in the middle). Also new is the 86,000 pixel RGB light-metering sensor, with an improved algorithm that can utilise data to enhance the accuracy of autofocusing and white balance adjustment. A new ‘Pentax Real-Time Scene Analysis System’ can select the exposure settings that are more consistent with the photographer’s intentions and also it can make a more precise distinction between the main subject and the background to improve the accuracy of flash.

The glass prism in the K-3’s optical viewfinder has been coated to improve reflectance and provide a brighter viewfinder image. The eyepiece optics have been completely redesigned to assure an approximately 0.95-times viewfinder magnification encompassing almost 100 percent of the sensor’s field of view.

The 3.2-inch LCD monitor has a resolution of (approx) 1.04 million dots and a 3:2 aspect ratio. It features a protective tempered-glass front panel for added durability, plus gapless construction in which the air space between LCD layers is eliminated, reducing light reflection and dispersion to improve visibility during outdoor shooting. Users can check recorded images at life-size magnification during playback.

High-speed continuous shooting is supported with a maximum speed of approximately 8.3 images/second, with a buffer capacity of up to 22 raw images or 60 high-res JPEGs. Dual SD card slots provide memory card flexibility and both are compatible with ultra-fast SDXC UHS-1 cards (104MB/sec).

An optional Pentax 16GB memory card provides smart-phone support, enabling users to check the live-view image and browse and download the images recorded on the card with a smartphone.

The Pentax K-3 is due for release on November 1 at $1429 (US price is A$1379) for body only. A 2000-unit limited-edition (worldwide) with a silver body with a silver grip will be offered with a custom leather strap and a spare battery.

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