Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

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Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

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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.

35mm 864.0mm²
30.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 32,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 5D Mark IV Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 5D Mark IV in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 5D Mark IV.
Compare Canon 5D Mark IV image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 5D Mark IV conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III
Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon 5D Mark IV

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon 5D Mark IV

Less expensive
$830* vs $2899
Save money for lenses or accessories
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
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 7.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 7.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Canon 5D Mark IV advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.36 vs 3.91 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Shoot 4K video
4K (DCI) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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.
5D Mark IV test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

2,995 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
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
More cross-type AF points
41 vs 25
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Higher-res screen
540k vs 346k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
30.4 vs 24.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
More AF points
61 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus
Bigger JPEG buffer
Unlimited vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 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
Built-in GPS
Both provide
Geotag your photos
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
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 24-105mm Lens
Kit with 24-70mm Lens

All 5D Mark IV Deals

Review Excerpt

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

Superb image quality from RAW files; Improved dynamic range; Excellent high ISO performance; Fast 7fps burst rate with unlimited JPEG buffer; High-quality cinema 4K video; Built-in Wi-Fi; Dual Pixel CMOS AF is very good.
JPEG files look soft at default settings; 1/200s flash sync; 4K video codec is cumbersome; 29:59 continuous video recording limit.
Read our Canon 5D Mark IV Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Pentax K-3 II

Canon 5D Mark III

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$2079
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 5D Mark III

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon 5D Mark III

$2249
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$2079
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

Compare Canon 5D Mark IV vs Canon 5D Mark III

Compared to Nikon D810

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D810

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2291
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D810

Canon 5D Mark IV

Nikon D810

$2249
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$2291
35mm

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

Compare Canon 5D Mark IV vs Nikon D810

Compared to 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

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon T6i

$2249
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 5D Mark IV vs Canon T6i

Compared to 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

Canon 5D Mark IV

Pentax KP

$2249
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

Compare Canon 5D Mark IV vs Pentax KP

Compared to Canon T7i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T7i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T7i

Canon 5D Mark IV

Canon T7i

$2249
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Canon 5D Mark IV vs Canon T7i

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