Pentax K-3

The Pentax K-3 is a weather-sealed APS-C DSLR released in 2013. It pairs a 24 megapixel sensor with the Pentax KAF mount, and its body measures 131 x 100 x 77 mm and weighs 800 grams.

It suits stills photographers who spend time outdoors. Sensor-shift stabilisation reduces camera shake for handheld work, and a maximum burst of 8.3 frames per second serves short bursts of action.

Ownership is a little old-school. There is no wireless connectivity and the fixed screen ignores touch, so the camera rewards photographers who are comfortable with physical controls and card-based transfers.

The K-3's optics score of 74 rates as good, placing it in the top 17% of cameras in our database for optics. That result rests on a 24 megapixel APS-C sensor handled by the Prime III processor, enough resolution for large prints and meaningful cropping.

Sensitivity runs from ISO 100 to 51200, giving room to keep shooting as the light falls. The ISO 100 base suits bright scenes, and the 1/8000 second maximum shutter speed gives a fast option for wide apertures in daylight.

In-body sensor-shift stabilisation is a defining strength. Because the correction happens inside the camera, it reduces camera shake with any KAF lens you mount, which helps handheld shooting at slower shutter speeds. It does nothing for subject movement, so moving targets still need a fast shutter.

For action, the maximum burst rate is 8.3 frames per second, quick enough to catch short peaks of movement. Autofocus uses 27 points, and the optical pentaprism viewfinder gives an eye-level view of the scene.

Video tops out at Full HD, and the video section score of 70 rates as good. Recordings are saved as MPEG-4 files, a widely used format for video clips.

Frame rates reach up to 60 frames per second, a separate maximum from the Full HD resolution cap. Check which recording modes combine the two before planning slow-motion footage at full resolution.

A timelapse mode is built in, so frame-by-frame sequences can be captured in camera without external timers or intervalometers.

Live view puts the 3.2 inch screen to work for framing clips, but the panel is fixed, so judging high and low camera angles is harder than it would be with a tilting screen.

The features score of 59 is modest, and the gaps show up in daily handling. The 3.2 inch LCD is sharp, with just over a million dots, but it neither tilts nor responds to touch, so menu work and off-angle composition stay button-driven.

Weather sealing helps in dust and rain, though it does not make the camera waterproof. A built-in flash covers fill light, and an external flash can be mounted when more power is needed.

Wireless options are absent: no Wi-Fi, no Bluetooth and no built-in GPS. Images leave the camera on memory cards, and location tagging would have to come from a phone or separate device.

Two card slots, taking SD, SDHC and SDXC media, are the practical highlight of this section. A second card can be loaded as spare storage, and the SDXC support allows high-capacity media for long shoots.

The D-LI90 battery is rated at 560 shots, though real-world endurance depends on how you shoot. The storage and battery score of 63 is good, with the battery rating and the absence of USB charging costing it some ground.

There is no USB charging, so the battery is charged in an external charger and cannot be topped up over a cable in the field. A spare D-LI90 is worth carrying for anyone planning long shooting sessions away from power.