Canon ELPH 300 HS vs Pentax K-3 II

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Canon ELPH 300 HS vs Pentax K-3 II

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
12.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 120.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon ELPH 300 HS Review.
See real-world photos taken with the ELPH 300 HS.

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.

Succeeded by the Canon 310 HS
Compare ELPH 300 HS vs 310 HS

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

Compare CANON 310 HS vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Canon ELPH 300 HS advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
19 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
141g vs 785g
Lighter weight
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon ELPH 300 HS

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 1.54 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
RAW file ability
Yes vs No
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

720 vs 220 shots
Capture more photos
Manual focus
Yes vs No
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
10 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More dots on screen
1037k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.54 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.4 vs 12.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Longer exposure
30 vs 15 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 3.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 3200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video

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
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter

User reviews

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Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Read our Canon ELPH 300 HS Express 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 Panasonic DMC-FX48S

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Panasonic DMC-FX48S

$235
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
HDMI out

$259
1/2.33 inch

Longer stills battery life
Longer exposure

Compare Canon ELPH 300 HS vs Panasonic DMC-FX48S

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic DMC-FX48S

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$259
1/2.33 inch

Internal flash
Thinner

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic DMC-FX48S

Compared to Canon SD980 IS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon SD980 IS

$235
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Shoots 24p video

$249
1/2.3 inch

Faster shutter

Compare Canon ELPH 300 HS vs Canon SD980 IS

Pentax K-3 II

Canon SD980 IS

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$249
1/2.3 inch

Internal flash
Thinner

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon SD980 IS

Compared to Canon 320 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon 320 HS

$235
1/2.3 inch

Bigger pixels
Longer stills battery life

$231
1/2.3 inch

Built-in Wi-Fi
More dots on screen

Compare Canon ELPH 300 HS vs Canon 320 HS

Pentax K-3 II

Canon 320 HS

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$231
1/2.3 inch

Built-in Wi-Fi
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 320 HS

Compared to Canon T6i

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon T6i

$235
1/2.3 inch

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Thinner

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon ELPH 300 HS 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 Pentax KP

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Pentax KP

$235
1/2.3 inch

Thinner
HDMI out

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon ELPH 300 HS 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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