Canon 5DS vs Pentax K-3 II

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Canon 5DS vs Pentax K-3 II

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35mm 864.0mm²
50.6 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Canon 5DS Review.
See real-world photos taken with the 5DS.

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

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

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Differences

Canon 5DS advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
5DS test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

2,381 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More cross-type AF points
41 vs 25
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
50.6 vs 24.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
More AF points
61 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon 5DS

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$830 vs $1299
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.27 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
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
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 4.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 28 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 4.9 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 15 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
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
Pentaprism viewfinder
Both provide
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
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
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 5DS User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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All K-3 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Read our Canon 5DS Review

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D810

Canon 5DS

Nikon D810

$1549
35mm

Less expensive
More cross-type AF points

$2246
35mm

Bigger pixels
Higher effective ISO

Compare Canon 5DS vs Nikon D810

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D810

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2246
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D810

Compared to Canon T6i

Canon 5DS

Canon T6i

$1549
35mm

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 5DS vs Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Canon 5DS R

Canon 5DS

Canon 5DS R

$1549
35mm

Less expensive
Has anti-aliasing filter

$1849
35mm

Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Canon 5DS vs Canon 5DS R

Pentax K-3 II

Canon 5DS R

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$1849
35mm

Larger sensor
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 5DS R

Compared to Pentax K-1

Canon 5DS

Pentax K-1

$1549
35mm

Fast startup
More cross-type AF points

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon 5DS vs Pentax K-1

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax K-1

$830
APS-C

Faster JPEG shooting
Faster RAW shooting

$1800
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax K-1

Compared to Pentax KP

Canon 5DS

Pentax KP

$1549
35mm

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Canon 5DS vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

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