Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax K-3 III

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Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax K-3 III

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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.

APS-C 361.2mm²
25.7 megapixels
ISO 100 - 1,600,000

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 III Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 III.

Succeeded by the Canon G1X Mark III
Compare G1X Mark II vs G1X Mark III
Compare Canon G1X Mark III vs Pentax K-3 III

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Differences

Canon G1X Mark II advantages over Pentax K-3 III

Less expensive
$599* vs $2344
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
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 820g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 30 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Pentax K-3 III advantages over Canon G1X Mark II

Larger sensor
APS-C 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
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
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

800 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
4 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
Higher-res screen
540k vs 346k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More pixels
25.7 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 JPEG shooting
12.0 fps vs 5.3 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
1600000 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
Touchscreen
Both provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
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 GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
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

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Read K-3 III User Reviews

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Canon G1X Mark II

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Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 20-40mm F2.8-4 Lens
Kit with 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Lens

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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

We haven’t finished our review of the Pentax K-3 III, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Pentax K-3 III First Shots

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-3 III

Panasonic LX100

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Touchscreen

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 III 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-3 III

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Touchscreen

$875
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Compared to Pentax KP

Canon G1X Mark II

Pentax KP

$599
1.5 inch

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 III

Pentax KP

$1847
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Pentax KP

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-3 III

Panasonic LX100 II

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
High resolution composite

$898
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Panasonic LX100 II

Compared to Canon 90D

Canon G1X Mark II

Canon 90D

$599
1.5 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1099
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon G1X Mark II vs Canon 90D

Pentax K-3 III

Canon 90D

$1847
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1099
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon 90D

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