Nikon D5100 vs Pentax K-1

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Nikon D5100 vs Pentax K-1

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APS-C 368.2mm²
16.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D5100 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D5100.

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 204,800

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

Succeeded by the Nikon D5200
Compare D5100 vs D5200

Succeeded by the Pentax K-1 II
Compare K-1 vs K-1 II

Compare NIKON D5200 vs PENTAX K-1 II

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Differences

Nikon D5100 advantages over Pentax K-1

Less expensive
$900 vs $1800 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

Pentax K-1 advantages over Nikon D5100

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
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 Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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.
K-1 test data on DxO Mark D5100 test data on DxO Mark

3,280 vs 1,183 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your 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
Newer
9 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Less shutter lag
0.09 vs 0.27 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.52x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
36.4 vs 16.2 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
More AF points
33 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
4.6 fps vs 3.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
4.6 fps vs 4.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
204800 vs 25600 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

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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

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Buy the Nikon D5100

Body Only

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-1

Review Excerpt

Side-mounted tilt / swivel LCD screen; same sensor and processing as the Nikon D7000; good speed and battery life; in-camera HDR and filter effects; Full HD video capture with aperture control; audio levels control and external microphone jack.
AF-S lens mount doesn't offer autofocus with screw-drive lenses; popup flash isn't the greatest; no built-in wireless flash control; HDR function doesn't microalign source images.
Read our Nikon D5100 Full Review

Unlocks the full potential of full-frame Pentax lenses; Excellent image quality; Great ergonomics and build; Very compact for full-frame; Decent performance; Fast autofocus with great low-light capabilities; Very wide sensitivity range; Bright, accurate viewfinder; Articulated LCD; Stabilization, Wi-Fi and GPS in-camera
No built-in flash strobe; Quite heavy compared to APS-C flagships; Somewhat soft images and blown highlights by default in JPEG mode; Warm Auto white balance indoors; Slow startup and buffer clearing; Small top-deck status display; Weak viewfinder illumination; Below-average battery life for DSLR
Read our Pentax K-1 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony A55

Nikon D5100

Sony A55

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$734
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
In-camera panoramas

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A55

Pentax K-1

Sony A55

$1800
35mm

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$734
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Sony A55

Compared to Sony A33

Nikon D5100

Sony A33

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$540
APS-C

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A33

Pentax K-1

Sony A33

$1800
35mm

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$540
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Sony A33

Compared to Sony A57

Nikon D5100

Sony A57

$650
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$800
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Sony A57

Pentax K-1

Sony A57

$1800
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$800
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Sony A57

Compared to Canon 5DS R

Nikon D5100

Canon 5DS R

$650
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Bigger pixels

$1499
35mm

Larger sensor
Higher effective ISO

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Canon 5DS R

Pentax K-1

Canon 5DS R

$1800
35mm

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1499
35mm

Fast startup
More cross-type AF points

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Canon 5DS R

Compared to Pentax K-1 II

Nikon D5100

Pentax K-1 II

$650
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon D5100 vs Pentax K-1 II

Pentax K-1

Pentax K-1 II

$1800
35mm

$1747
35mm

Higher extended ISO

Compare Pentax K-1 vs Pentax K-1 II

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