Nikon D600 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Nikon D600 vs Pentax K-3 II

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35mm 861.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Nikon D600 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the D600.

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 D610
Compare D600 vs D610

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

Compare NIKON D610 vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Nikon D600 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.97 vs 3.91 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.30 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
D600 test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

2,980 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
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

900 vs 720 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More AF points
39 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Nikon D600

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
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 9
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.26 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 28 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 5.4 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 14 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 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
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Pentaprism viewfinder
Both provide
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
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 D600 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Nikon D600

Body Only

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-3 II

Body Only (Black)

All K-3 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Great controls for amateur or pro; Good grip and heft; Impressive low-light performance; Very good dynamic range; Excellent battery life; Built-in lens correction.
Dust and oil spatter problem; Moire problem with certain subjects; Slower X-sync speed; Slow AF in Live view mode; Aliasing in videos.
Read our Nikon D600 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 Canon 6D

Nikon D600

Canon 6D

$1900
35mm

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$1699
35mm

Built-in Wi-Fi
Built-in GPS

Compare Nikon D600 vs Canon 6D

Pentax K-3 II

Canon 6D

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1699
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 6D

Compared to Nikon D610

Nikon D600

Nikon D610

$1900
35mm

$1198
35mm

Faster RAW shooting

Compare Nikon D600 vs Nikon D610

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D610

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1198
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D610

Compared to Nikon D750

Nikon D600

Nikon D750

$1900
35mm

Fast startup

$1698
35mm

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Nikon D600 vs Nikon D750

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D750

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1698
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D750

Compared to Canon T6i

Nikon D600

Canon T6i

$1900
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Nikon D600 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 D600

Pentax KP

$1900
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Nikon D600 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

Compare Other Cameras?

Nikon D600 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Differences

Nikon D600 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Higher effective ISO

Longer stills battery life

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Nikon D600

Similarities

Common Strengths

Common Weaknesses

User reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Body Only

Your purchases support this site

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)

Review Excerpt

The Competition

Compared to Canon 6D

Compared to Nikon D610

Compared to Nikon D750

Compared to Canon T6i

Compared to Pentax KP