The 29th: With right way of loving single-lens reflex camera. Six months spent with the PENTAX K-3 III

Some camera fans have asked us why they praise the PENTAX K-3 III, even though the camera they use for work is a mirrorless camera.

Yes, I like security cameras and endoscope cameras as long as they are called cameras. This doesn't mean specs.

This time, I would like to delve a little deeper into the Ricoh Imaging PENTAX K-3 III, which has been in my house for half a year. The individual who came to our house is very active.

House with yellow walls. The moderate wear and tear over the years invites nostalgia, but you can see that the people who live there like it. I'm trying to force myself to explain that the details are good, but in the end, it's my favorite. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F9, 1/500 sec) ISO 400

In the case of assignment shooting, time, efficiency and quality must be emphasized. , I also shoot using the latest mirrorless machine without hesitation. As a professional photographer, I've always been at the bottom, so I'm always rushed to meet deadlines, and it's more difficult than you might imagine. However, the latest cameras are high performance, so there are many cases where we can help them where they fall short. I've become a body that can't live without face recognition, eye AF, and image stabilization.

In my private time, I still get chills from the shutter sound of the Pentax SP, admire the Canon F-1 with its sharp matte focus even though it's not bright, and the Nikon F's F-36 motor drive. There are occasions when I bring these film SLRs out just because I want to hear the operating sound of the .

In the end, I pack my Tri-X and enjoy taking pictures of fallen bikes in the corners of vacant lots and chimneys of old public baths. There are also more opportunities to bring out. When I bring out the latest mirrorless machine in such a place, is it because I somehow remember my work?

I'm a "plumbing maniac", so I can't help but take pictures of the plumbing that was exposed when the building next door was demolished. And as high quality as possible. I also use the Micro Four Thirds machine for assignments, but the APS-C format seems to have even more room for high image quality. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F4, 1/8,000 sec) ISO 400 I like the "Someone's Watching" security stickers you often see on the street, but humans Even if you don't have it, you can feel the gaze. When I come across this too, I press the shutter, no doubt. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F5, 1/250 sec) ISO 400

The other day, I had the opportunity to talk with a young photographer in the photography department of a local newspaper. There was, but this person said, "I don't like looking at the camera other than work."

It's quite different from my sense of values, but I don't feel like looking at the EVF much outside of work. In the morning, I watch my smartphone, watch TV, watch the EVF while shooting, watch the tablet while checking the image, send emails on my smartphone in between, return to work, look at my PC, and in a few years, I will return to the United States of the past. Wouldn't you like to become a "terrifying liquid crystal man" like a B-grade movie? If I were you, I would like to relax with a single-lens reflex camera when I'm away from work.

First of all, the goodness of the K-3 III is that it is a serious heritage design, to borrow the words of some manufacturer. Yes, there is a monophonic glass pentaprism in the bulge in the center of the body, so it's an inevitable triangular bulge. Moreover, it does not have a built-in weak strobe. I feel a sense of humor here. It's not a silly triangle for mirrorless design.

The single-lens reflex viewfinder looks dark in dark places and bright in bright places. While looking at the viewfinder, the photographer spends a short amount of time thinking about the steps required to complete the photo. Not only that, but the optical viewfinder was so small that you could look into the bottom of a well. I didn't like this, so I had no choice but to use a 35mm full-frame single-lens reflex camera.

The K-3 III is an APS-C single-lens reflex camera, but the viewfinder magnification is 1.05x. It's amazing. It's on par with the company's 35mm full-frame model, so for me, who believes that "SLRs are more important than specs, finder is the life", this alone is enough to bring tears to my eyes. It stings the naked eye. It hurts when it hits you, but it's very satisfying.

On the other hand, the K-3 III is much smaller and lighter than my native K-1, which is another reason why I use it more often. The K-1 has never left the realm of an old-fashioned DSLR in a ``thumbnail''. The K-3 III is attractive because it has been shaped up. Yes, fat people admire the parts they lack.

A compact and lightweight camera that doesn't wobble even when framing from a true bird's-eye view is justice. Recently, even mirrorless cameras are heavy. It can't be heavier than a K-3 III with a mirror. Please reflect on this. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F8, 1/250 sec) ISO 400

Given this overall atmosphere, I would like a shutter speed dial on the right hand side of the top of the body. However, this is the modern orthodox method of setting the settings while using the front and rear electronic dials and looking at the LCD (liquid crystal display) on the top and back and the viewfinder display.

There is a small dial on the right rear of the upper part of the body, but it is called a "smart function dial" when I checked this time, and it is not a shutter speed dial. The name is somewhat like an ETC exit on a highway, but it seems that you can quickly change the settings by registering and assigning various functions in advance. I have never used this dial. This seems to be a consideration to make it possible to make various settings without looking away from the viewfinder, but for me, there are some functions that I do not understand even by looking at the icons on the display. Sorry for my lack of study.

Smart function dial. I sometimes mistake it for the electronic dial on the back, but I don't know how to use it properly, so please someone tell me.

Sometimes I turn this smart function dial by mistake for the rear electronic dial on the back side, and I get scared that something has changed, so be careful not to touch it. I'm here. However, I hate reading manuals, so next time I will go to Ricoh to learn how to use the PENTAX K-3 III correctly. You might forget it quickly, but this should make it even more useful.

There is an exposure mode dial on the left hand side of the top of the body. Again, I mostly use Av (aperture priority AE) and M (manual), so I don't move it much. But the feeling of operation is not bad. There are 5 user settings (U1 to U5), but it seems difficult for me to remember the settings, so I thought it might be a good idea to use the ISO sensitivity dial here. picture? "If you add a shutter dial and an ISO sensitivity dial, it will look like that Z"? As you say, I don't think anyone will complain even if they look alike.

mode dial. It is solidly built. There are a lot of user setting positions, but is there anyone who uses them all? I wonder if there is Focus selector on the back. Commonly known as Guri Guri. This is also said to be essential equipment these days. Non-equipped cameras are hit. However, I sometimes forget this existence. Focus lock is faster when you are in a hurry. The center AF area is the most accurate.

I also like the K-3 III's Av (aperture-priority AE) function as long as the shutter is released, even with a lens that does not have an electronic contact. The K-1 couldn't do this, and I ended up shooting with a lens that had no electronic contacts with the aperture wide open. I would like to treat the engineer who developed and installed this specification with a drink after the end of Corona.

I'm glad that the PENTAX single-lens reflex camera does not omit the AF motor in the body. For this reason, old FA lenses, etc., try to focus forcefully and hard while making extremely loud operating noises. If I touch the focus ring at this time, I get the impression that even my fingers are likely to be caught in the rotation. If you don't like this kind of thing, you should use the latest in-lens motor AF Pentax lens.

KAF2 mount. The basic format is immutable. Evolving with the times. The two contacts in the 5 o'clock direction are used to supply power to the motor inside the lens. Originally it was for power zoom. That's great. Even the large-aperture standard zoom lens that I bought a long time ago is a "star lens," so it's still usable today. 28mm at the wide end seems somewhat rustic these days. Stunning compatibility that power zoom can also be used. PENTAX K-3 III smc PENTAX-FA ☆ 28-70mm F2.8 AL (F3.2 1/80 sec) ISO 800 Model: Hiina This is also an old star lens telephoto zoom. It was very expensive. Distortion is properly corrected, and chromatic aberration is not a concern. But hey, it's really heavy. You need to be prepared. You can also use power zoom. Since it was taken in the evening, I raised the sensitivity a little, but the image is too ordinary. PENTAX K-3 III smc PENTAX-FA ☆ 80-200mm F2.8 ED [IF] (F3.2 1/125 sec) ISO 800 Model: Hina

Again, mirrorless cameras have a shutter I can see the EVF and LCD before turning off the camera, and can roughly estimate the finished image, so it's very safe for work, but sometimes I think it's boring when it comes to "personal matters." You can say that using a single-lens reflex camera is meaningful because you can enjoy the power of prediction, imagination, and delusion before shooting.

You need a SLR camera with a good viewfinder, but the K-3 III's viewfinder is big enough to make a change, and the matte part has a nice cut. Of course, even with the K-3 III, you can "check the answer" (image confirmation) on the LCD immediately after releasing the shutter, so it's not such an exaggeration. I secretly rejoice alone in the place.

In the case of a film camera, we do not know whether the photographed result is acceptable or not until it is developed. I often see in recent introductory textbooks that it's good to be excited about film cameras until they're developed. So hone your foresight and apply your skills to keep your heart from straining. A professional can do this.

I think the appeal of the PENTAX K-3 III lies in the joy of honing its predictive abilities, as well as the sense of security and comfort that makes you feel like you're back here when you use it. When SLRs started to become mainstream, we were told that rangefinder cameras would disappear. Of course, it declined significantly at one point, but it is still not a mainstream camera, but Leica, which has strong tastes, has survived and has many professional users.

Then, when mirrorless cameras come out, will we no longer need a single-lens reflex camera? How about that. If I don't have a single-lens reflex camera, I think it would be boring as a hobby.

A 35mm F2 lens called a hidden star lens. It has undergone minor changes recently and has a new coating, but it seems that the old one is fine for normal use. It's a great photo. Because it is light, it is compatible with the K-3 III, and you can frame it with an angle of view close to the orthodox 50mm. PENTAX K-3 III smc PENTAX-FA 35mm F2 AL (F8, 1/2,000 sec) ISO 400 It is a lie that Lee Friedlander influenced me to take pictures of monuments in the city. However, I also like taking pictures of Jizo-san, probably because I've been here recently. The K-3 III is an easy camera to take around town. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F10, 1/1,000 sec) ISO 400 Although it makes for an image of the inorganic streets of Tokyo, it's a compositional photo. I put it away. It's disgusting. However, it is easy to judge the lens performance and image creation of the camera. It is a good depiction of omission. PENTAX K-3 III HD-PENTAX DA 20-40mm F2.8-4 Limited (F10, 1/800 sec) ISO 400