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I have a K7 and a K5 and want to upgrade to the K3. My problem is that as soon as I upgraded to the K5, within a few months the K5 II came out. I'm worried that within 6-12 months a K3 II or similar upgrade will come out. Does anyone know how often they update? I know timing has a lot to do with it and the K5 is great but the K3 seems to have a lot of great new features.

All cameras will eventually be upgraded so buy the one you like and enjoy it.

Dale

If you don't jump on a camera within 6 months of introduction, it will feel like that. It usually takes 12-18 months for a new product, but tech changes fast some times and waiting too long means losing ground and/or looking unresponsive. I know what you mean though, it definitely seems like only minutes have passed some times!

I don't think there will be a K3 II for quite some time. If my memory serves me, which is questionable, the original K5 was out for two years, or maybe 18 months when Ricoh finalized the purchase of Pentax. The pressure was on then to produce something new, but Ricoh hadn't been at the helm long enough to crank out a new product, so instead they refined an old product. The general feeling at the time of the K5 II's release was it was a bit lack luster, but Canon and Nikon get away with even more incremental upgrades and call their cameras successful. Just a feeling, I'd say the K3 has another 2 years before it's successor arrives on the scene.

The K-3 is a really big improvement over the K-5 so I wouldn't hesitate to upgrade. Way bigger than the K-5 II, which was essentially the same camera respun with a new AF system.

Edit: wrong forum for this, moved to DSLR discussion.

This is a wide spread problem. But the real question is another. Is K-3 good enough for you? If is so, buy it. If not, wait, but as almost anyone else here, I also believe that a new and better APS-C camera than K-3 will not come earlier than at least one year from now. Maybe a FF camera will come this fall, maybe not, but this is something in other range of price.

Just plan to skip generations of cameras. You really could easily do that -- go from K20 to K5 to K3 and not miss the intermediate cameras (K7/K5 II).

I doubt Pentax will release a K3 successor till sometime next year. There may be a full frame camera coming this year, but it will be more expensive than the K3 (and not take its place).

Thank you all. I just may go do it today!

I just got mine yesterday, coming from K5. I'm very pleased with the upgrade and I have no doubt that I can skip the next couple upgrades if they are coming the next 2-5 years.

I'm waiting for the fire sale...

From my recollection and the data here, the upper tier Pentax DSLR's from K-10 to K-3 upgrades were introduced:

K-10 Fall '06
K-20: Jan. '08
K-7: May '09
K-5: Oct. '10
K-5 II and IIS: Sept.. '12
K-3: Oct. '13

I am not sure if past history is a good predictor of the future. I somewhat believe that the "easy" DSLR improvements have occurred, and that substantial future technology changes will be longer in the making, resulting in significant model upgrades being further apart. I am thinking only of technology as it relates to the still image. There may be upgrades for "other" technology, such as video, audio, web sharing, video focusing, etc. that may drive the technology for the upgrade model that consumers would want and pay for.

I have purchased my only two DSLR's (K100dS and K-5c) very late in the cycle, and only after the upgraded model was available for some time. The emotional side of me feels that I'm "missing out" by not upgrading sooner. The practical side, however, asks what does the newer body give you that the current body does not? The K5 provided me with the desired capabilities in those areas where I knew the K100dS was lacking, but that was not the majority of photos.

There's something to be said for waiting 6 months or so for any new introduction. That lets the big issues for a specific camera to be identified. Then one can decide whether to tolerate whatever the issues are.

With the K3, from what i've read - its REMARKABLY free of issues - congrats to Ricoh. And thats not the case with every camera model issued today. For example, the D600 had developed a reputation for oil spatter from the shutter, and Nikon chose to quickly issue a new model, the D610, to replace it. Thats what waiting does for one, it allows one to see what kinds of issues are developing and than one can judge whether to buy into that potential problem area.

You forgot the K-30 and the K-50/500

No. They're entry/mid cameras. Not flagship products.

GlennG beat me to it, but I have pretty much the same. It seemed like Pentax had a ~16 month cycle that became a little less predictable after the K5, but this may have had more to do with sensor options than anything else. If we go by trends, perhaps we will see the next major release in summer 2015?;

K10d - released Sept 06
K10d Grand Prix - released June 07
K20d - released Jan 08
K20d Titan - released Mar 09
K-7 - released May 09
K-7 Silver - released Mar 10
K-5 – released Nov 10
K-5 Silver v1 – released Mar 11
K-5 Silver v2 – release Mar 12
K-5 II / IIs – released Sept 2012
K-3 / Black and Silver – released Oct 13