Nikon S6900 vs Pentax K-S2

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Nikon S6900 vs Pentax K-S2

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
16.0 megapixels
25.00mm - 300.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Nikon S6900 Review.

APS-C 366.6mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-S2 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-S2 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-S2.
Compare Pentax K-S2 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-S2 conclusion.

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Differences

Nikon S6900 advantages over Pentax K-S2

Less expensive
$230 vs $800 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Thinner
27 mm vs 64 mm
Thinner
Faster JPEG shooting
9.0 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Nikon S6900

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 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
Bigger pixels
~ 4.29 vs 1.34 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
RAW file ability
Yes vs No
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
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

410 vs 180 shots
Capture more photos
Manual focus
Yes vs No
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Higher-res screen
230k vs 115k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.0 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Longer exposure
30 vs 4 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Bigger JPEG buffer
28 vs 7 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 6400 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
Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video

Common Weaknesses

Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Read S6900 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-S2 User Reviews

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Nikon S6900 (Black)
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Body Only (White)
Body Only (Black)
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Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (White)

All K-S2 Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t reviewed the Nikon S6900.
Read our Nikon S6900 Preview

Very compact for a weather-sealed DSLR; Good ergonomics and great viewfinder; Excellent image quality; Decent performance for its class; Articulated screen is great for difficult compositions; Offers features not found in other Pentax DSLRs
18-50mm kit lens is fiddly and prone to jamming when retracted; Wi-Fi is slow and unintuitive; Slow startup; Limited movie mode; Poor battery life for a DSLR; Priced too close to its enthusiast-grade sibling
Read our Pentax K-S2 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon S800c

Nikon S6900

Nikon S800c

$500
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$280
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Higher-res screen

Compare Nikon S6900 vs Nikon S800c

Pentax K-S2

Nikon S800c

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$280
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon S800c

Compared to Nikon S6500

Nikon S6900

Nikon S6500

$500
1/2.3 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$400
1/2.3 inch

Compare Nikon S6900 vs Nikon S6500

Pentax K-S2

Nikon S6500

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$400
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Thinner

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon S6500

Compared to Pentax K-500

Nikon S6900

Pentax K-500

$500
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$597
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon S6900 vs Pentax K-500

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-500

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Nikon S810c

Nikon S6900

Nikon S810c

$500
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$350
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Longer stills battery life

Compare Nikon S6900 vs Nikon S810c

Pentax K-S2

Nikon S810c

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$350
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon S810c

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Nikon S6900

Pentax K-S1

$500
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$502
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Nikon S6900 vs Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-S1

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$502
APS-C

Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-S1

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