Olympus TG-4 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Olympus TG-4 vs Pentax K-3 II

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
16.0 megapixels
25.00mm - 100.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Olympus TG-4 Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus TG-4 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the TG-4.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus TG-4 conclusion.

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 TG-5
Compare TG-4 vs TG-5

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

Compare OLYMPUS TG-5 vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Olympus TG-4 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Less expensive
$379 vs $830
Save money for lenses or accessories
Waterproof
Yes vs No
Take photos underwater without destroying your camera!
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
31 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
247g vs 785g
Lighter weight
Bigger JPEG buffer
100 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Olympus TG-4

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
~ 3.91 vs 1.34 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
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 380 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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
346k vs 154k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.26 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.4 vs 16.0 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 Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
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
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in GPS
Both provide
Geotag your photos
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video

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
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
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
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read TG-4 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Rugged and waterproof camera body; RAW image capture; fast f/2.0 maximum aperture; fun shooting modes; fast AF speeds for its class.
Heavy noise reduction, even at base ISO; no continuous RAW image capture; underwhelming video performance.
Read our Olympus TG-4 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 TG-3

Olympus TG-4

Olympus TG-3

$379
1/2.3 inch

RAW file ability
Manual focus

$349
1/2.3 inch

Compare Olympus TG-4 vs Olympus TG-3

Pentax K-3 II

Olympus TG-3

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$349
1/2.3 inch

Waterproof
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus TG-3

Compared to Canon T6i

Olympus TG-4

Canon T6i

$379
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Waterproof

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus TG-4 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 Ricoh WG-5 GPS

Olympus TG-4

Ricoh WG-5 GPS

$379
1/2.3 inch

Slower slow-motion
RAW file ability

$297
1/2.3 inch

Shoots 60p video
Faster shutter

Compare Olympus TG-4 vs Ricoh WG-5 GPS

Pentax K-3 II

Ricoh WG-5 GPS

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$297
1/2.3 inch

Waterproof
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Ricoh WG-5 GPS

Compared to Pentax KP

Olympus TG-4

Pentax KP

$379
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Waterproof

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus TG-4 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

Compared to Olympus TG-5

Olympus TG-4

Olympus TG-5

$379
1/2.3 inch

Fast startup
More pixels

$299
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Slower slow-motion

Compare Olympus TG-4 vs Olympus TG-5

Pentax K-3 II

Olympus TG-5

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$299
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Waterproof

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus TG-5

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