The Pentax K-3 Mark III will not launch at next week’s CP+ imaging show as was initially promised, but will instead be delayed for the foreseeable future.
Back in October 2020, Pentax officially announced its long-awaited APS-C DSLR, the K-3 Mark III. The company released a camera spec list, and stated that “the launch target is around the period of the CP+ camera exhibition, which will be held from February 25 to 28 in 2021.”
But now, just days before the CP+ exhibition, Pentax released a statement acknowledging a hold-up; specifically, “some of the product parts are delayed, and [Pentax has] determined that development will require a greater amount of time for [the company] to achieve the exceptional performance and finest quality that is the hallmark of next [sic] APS-C flagship model.”
Pentax did not offer a new expected launch date, but promised to “inform [consumers] again in the near future.”
According to the original announcement, the K-3 Mark III will pack 26 MP of resolution, a sensor that can shoot up to an astonishing ISO 1,600,000, plus in-body image stabilization, 12 frames per second continuous shooting, dual card slots, and more.
Fans who have waited for the K-3 Mark III will no doubt be aggravated by this delay, especially because Pentax had originally teased a K-3 Mark III launch for the end of 2020. And the announcement comes at an unfortunate time; the mirrorless market seems to solidify further with every passing day, and the relative success of mirrorless threatens to leave Pentax, a DSLR-focused brand, in the dust.
In other words:
Pentax needs a win, and this delay suggests they won’t get it.
So if you were anticipating the release of the K-3 Mark III, you’ll have to hunker down yet again. While the camera will likely debut eventually, there’s no telling when that day will come.
Now over to you:
What do you think of this Pentax delay? Are you interested in the K-3 Mark III? Do you think the camera will ever come out? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
