Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Olympus E-M1 vs Pentax K-3 II

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4/3 224.9mm²
16.1 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1.

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 Olympus E-M1 II
Compare E-M1 vs E-M1 II

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

Compare OLYMPUS E-M1 II vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Olympus E-M1 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Fast startup
~0.80 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Higher max flash sync
1/320 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
497g vs 785g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.9 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
50 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Olympus E-M1

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Less expensive
$830 vs $1099
Save money for lenses or accessories
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
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-3 II test data on DxO Mark E-M1 test data on DxO Mark

1,106 vs 757 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
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 350 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More pixels
24.4 vs 16.1 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 None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
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
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
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read E-M1 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Exceptional rugged, weather-proof, professional build; Lightning fast contrast-detect AF, and phase-detect AF that makes Four Thirds lenses far more responsive; Tons of useful physical controls with immense customizability; Arguably the best image quality of any Micro Four Thirds camera we've tested to date; Large, sharp, high-resolution electronic viewfinder; Advanced Wi-Fi capabilities, including remote control shooting in PASM exposure modes.
Bigger and heavier than many other compact system cameras; Most expensive Micro Four Thirds camera on the market to date; Menu system and customization options have a steep learning curve; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 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 Olympus E-M5

Olympus E-M1

Olympus E-M5

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
Fast startup

$900
4/3

Thinner
Shoots 60p video

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Olympus E-M5

Pentax K-3 II

Olympus E-M5

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$900
4/3

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M5

Compared to Panasonic GH3

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH3

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Longer stills battery life

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH3

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic GH3

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$798
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic GH3

Compared to Panasonic GH4

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GH4

$1099
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
On-sensor phase detect

$899
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GH4

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic GH4

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic GH4

Compared to Canon T6i

Olympus E-M1

Canon T6i

$1099
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Olympus E-M1 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 Panasonic GX8

Olympus E-M1

Panasonic GX8

$1099
4/3

Fast startup
On-sensor phase detect

$998
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Olympus E-M1 vs Panasonic GX8

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic GX8

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

$998
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic GX8

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