Dpreview staff has just posted a full review of the newly released PENTAX K-3 Mark III (Amazon/ B&H/ Adorama).  The AF of the new PENTAX K-3 Mark III has improved significantly, but it is still not as good as the  Nikon D500 (Amazon/ Adorama/ B&H).

Pentax K-3 Mark III’s body is not lightweight, but it is not heavy and has a good balance. Since the mirror shock can be suppressed with a single-lens reflex camera, it is better to have a little weight.
The grip is very easy to hold and the thumb grip on the back is great, but to be honest the grip is a bit big in my hand. But I think it’s comfortable for most people. Overall, it feels really good when you hold it in your hand.
When it comes to button and dial placement, Pentax does a very good job, with many buttons and dials, but it’s designed so that it doesn’t feel cramped or mishandled.

The monitor is nice, sharp and nice, but unfortunately it has the drawback of being fixed, which is inconvenient for low-angle live view shooting. It’s a shame that the fixed monitor is a big mistake, even though the live view has evolved a lot.
The viewfinder with a magnification of 1.05 is really wonderful with a beautiful view.

The AF is completely new, and the tracking of moving objects has improved significantly compared to the previous Pentax machines, and the hit rate was excellent, but the Nikon D500 consistently had a higher hit rate. However, if you are a Pentax user who mainly shoots moving objects and want to improve AF, the K-3 Mark III is the best camera.
Overall, I was satisfied with the AF speed and AF performance, but the buffer was insufficient and it quickly became clogged after continuous shooting. The D500 can shoot continuously longer than the K-3 Mark III.
The battery is the same old as before, and the battery life is about 800, but it is not as good as the D500.

See also 2021 Pentax Camera Deals.

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