Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax K-1 II

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Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax K-1 II

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1.5 inch 233.8mm²
13.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 120.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Canon G1X Mark II Review.
How does it shoot? Canon G1X Mark II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the G1X Mark II.
Compare Canon G1X Mark II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon G1X Mark II conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 819,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-1 II.
Compare Pentax K-1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-1 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Canon G1X Mark III
Compare G1X Mark II vs G1X Mark III
Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Pentax K-1 II

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Differences

Canon G1X Mark II advantages over Pentax K-1 II

Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Lighter weight
563g vs 1010g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
5.3 fps vs 4.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 77 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
Unlimited vs 17 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)

Pentax K-1 II advantages over Canon G1X Mark II

Less expensive
$50 vs $599*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
35mm vs 1.5 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
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.40 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

670 vs 240 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
7 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Less shutter lag
0.10 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
36.4 vs 13.1 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
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster RAW shooting
4.6 fps vs 1.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
819200 vs 12800 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
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Tiltable Screen
Both provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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 K-1 II User Reviews

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Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 28-105mm Lens

All K-1 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Wider, longer, faster lens than predecessor, with good overall optical quality; Faster AF performance; Closer macro shooting; Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC with remote shooting; Decent JPEG burst performance; Excellent build quality.
Localized flare issue when wide open; No real net improvement in image quality over predecessor; Slow burst mode when shooting RAW files; Poor battery life; Video quality is so-so (not like Canon DSLRs).
Read our Canon G1X Mark II Review

Excellent build and comfortable handling; Bright, roomy viewfinder and articulated LCD; Great image quality; Good performance for the class; In-camera stabilization, GPS and Wi-Fi; Incredibly feature-rich design.
Bulkier than APS-C DSLRs; Top ISOs are for the spec sheet, not the real world; JPEGs are a bit punchy by default; Slow startup; Below-average battery life; Only a relatively modest update to the K-1.
Read our Pentax K-1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic LX100

Canon G1X Mark II

Panasonic LX100

$599
1.5 inch

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

$598
4/3

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Panasonic LX100

Pentax K-1 II

Panasonic LX100

$1415
35mm

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Panasonic LX100

Compared to Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Canon G1X Mark II

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$599
1.5 inch

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$875
4/3

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Pentax K-1 II

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$1415
35mm

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$875
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Compared to Pentax K-1

Canon G1X Mark II

Pentax K-1

$599
1.5 inch

Touchscreen
NFC

$1800
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax K-1

Pentax K-1 II

Pentax K-1

$1415
35mm

Higher extended ISO

$1800
35mm

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Pentax K-1

Compared to Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon G1X Mark II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$599
1.5 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2349
35mm

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Pentax K-1 II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$1415
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2349
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Compared to Panasonic LX100 II

Canon G1X Mark II

Panasonic LX100 II

$599
1.5 inch

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

$898
4/3

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Panasonic LX100 II

Pentax K-1 II

Panasonic LX100 II

$1415
35mm

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$898
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Panasonic LX100 II

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