Nikon D3200 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Nikon D3200 vs Pentax K-3 II

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APS-C 357.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D3200 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D3200.

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 Nikon D3300
Compare D3200 vs D3300

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

Compare NIKON D3300 vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Nikon D3200 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Less expensive
$477 vs $830*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~0.40 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Nikon D3200

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
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 540 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 1
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Pentaprism viewfinder
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.53x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
More AF points
27 vs 11
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
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 12 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
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
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

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
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read D3200 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Buy the Nikon D3200

Kit with 18-55mm Lens

All D3200 Deals

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Buy the Pentax K-3 II

Body Only (Black)

All K-3 II Deals

Review Excerpt

High resolution allows cropping; Good performance in low light; Compact and comfortable, highly portable; Fast and responsive, just begs to take pictures; Quiet shutter is great for candids.
Mediocre kit lens; Might be too small for some; No bracketing; Narrow flash coverage; Matrix metering tends to overexpose.
Read our Nikon D3200 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 Sony A65

Nikon D3200

Sony A65

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$798
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Sony A65

Pentax K-3 II

Sony A65

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
High resolution composite

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A65

Compared to Nikon D5200

Nikon D3200

Nikon D5200

$477
APS-C

Bigger RAW buffer

$590
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Nikon D5200

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D5200

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D5200

Compared to Sony A58

Nikon D3200

Sony A58

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$598
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3200 vs Sony A58

Pentax K-3 II

Sony A58

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
High resolution composite

$598
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A58

Compared to Canon T6i

Nikon D3200

Canon T6i

$477
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D3200 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

Nikon D3200

Pentax KP

$477
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D3200 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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