The Pentax K-3 Mark III DSLR has been officially discontinued in Japan but Ricoh Imaging tells petapixel The camera is available in the United States and is part of the company’s 2025 product lineup.
Earlier this week, Japanese website Assobinate informed The Pentax K-3 Mark III was discontinued at various camera stores and was completely sold out at some retailers.
Ricoh Imaging’s Japanese websiteThe K-3 III is also now listed as discontinued, leaving only three DSLR cameras as active products: Pentax K-1 IIThe pentax kfand this Pentax K-3 III MonochromeThe company’s only black-and-white camera to be released in 2023.
When a camera is discontinued in Japan, it is not always the case that the product has been discontinued elsewhere at that time. Different markets have different levels of consumer demand, existing stock and product strategies. Sometimes a camera or lens is discontinued in one market and remains available indefinitely elsewhere.
petapixel Contacted Ricoh Imaging America Corporation to see what is happening with the K-3 III states. The company offered the following statement:
We can’t comment on business in Japan, but we can confirm that the Pentax K-3 III is still available in the US and is part of our plans for 2025.
As far as its discontinuation in Japan is concerned, it’s worth a closer look. The Pentax K-3 III is the company’s flagship APS-C DSLR and was originally announced In March 2021. In the grand scheme of things it wasn’t that long ago, and it really hasn’t taken long for a product to be discussed, even if only in one market.
With the removal of the K-3 III from Pentax’s lineup in Japan, there are now only three DSLRs, only two of which can be considered traditional models. The K-3 III Monochrome, while great, is very specific.
Ricoh Imaging Japan still has a lot to offer, including the very popular GR III and GR IIIx compact cameras, a bunch of waterproof WG-series models, and the 2024 pentax 17 Half frame film camera.
Technically, it is also possible to get three infrared-equipped cameras in Japan: the K-70 IR, 645Z IR, and KP IR. However, they are special-order products designed for research institutions and government agencies. No one can buy these easily.
So, for now, it’s goodbye to the Pentax K-3 III in Japan. American photographers can still buy a cameraAlthough one would be forgiven for asking, “For how long?”
Image Credit: Pentax
