Sony A77 vs Pentax K-3

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Sony A77 vs Pentax K-3

APS-C 369.7mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A77 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A77.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3.
Compare Pentax K-3 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Sony A77 II
Compare A77 vs A77 II

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 II
Compare K-3 vs K-3 II

Compare SONY A77 II vs PENTAX K-3 II

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Differences

Sony A77 advantages over Pentax K-3

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
More viewfinder magnification
0.73x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.6 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.6 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Pentax K-3 advantages over Sony A77

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
K-3 test data on DxO Mark A77 test data on DxO Mark

1,216 vs 801 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More telephoto lens reach
203 mm vs 75 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 11
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
More AF points
27 vs 19
More AF points improve autofocus
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
24 vs 14 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 16000 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A77 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A77

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm Lens
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-3

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

Review Excerpt

Very fast top frame rate; full-time phase-detect autofocus; Full 60p HD video; Excellent kit lens; Very good high-resolution sensor.
Heavy; EVF appears dim when used in bright light; AF tracking in Movie mode was unreliable in our testing.
Read our Sony A77 Full Review

Top-notch image quality; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Unique on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots; Optional Wi-Fi remote control
AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a DSLR; Rather dated-looking menu system; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors; Less third-party support than some rivals
Read our Pentax K-3 Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 7D

Sony A77

Canon 7D

$1899
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1499
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 7D

Pentax K-3

Canon 7D

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1499
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Canon 7D

Compared to Nikon D7100

Sony A77

Nikon D7100

$1899
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$810
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$810
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Canon 70D

Sony A77

Canon 70D

$1899
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Canon 70D

Pentax K-3

Canon 70D

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Canon 70D

Compared to Sony A77 II

Sony A77

Sony A77 II

$1899
APS-C

Built-in GPS

$1198
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Sony A77 vs Sony A77 II

Pentax K-3

Sony A77 II

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
More telephoto lens reach

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Sony A77 II

Compared to Nikon D7200

Sony A77

Nikon D7200

$1899
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$1043
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 vs Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7200

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1043
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7200

Compare Other Cameras?