Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 77D

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Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 77D

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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.

APS-C 332.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Canon 77D Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 77D in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 77D.
Compare Canon 77D image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 77D conclusion.

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon 77D

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
APS-C vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
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
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 77D test data on DxO Mark

1,106 vs 971 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 600 shots
Capture more photos
Pentaprism viewfinder
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.51x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
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
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Canon 77D advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.40 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
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More cross-type AF points
45 vs 25
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More AF points
45 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus
Bigger JPEG buffer
167 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

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
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

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 77D User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-3 II

Body Only (Black)

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Buy the Canon 77D

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm lens
Kit with 18-55mm lens

All 77D 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

Very good image quality; Improved dynamic range at low ISOs; Very fast autofocus; Dual Pixel CMOS AF in Live View; Much improved RAW buffer depth; 1080/60p video; Quick Control Dial & top-panel LCD screen.
Default JPEGs slightly soft straight out of camera; Dynamic range & high ISOs lag behind competing cameras; No 4K video resolution.
Read our Canon 77D Review

The Competition

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 77D

Canon T6i

$550
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Bluetooth

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Lighter weight

Compare Canon 77D vs Canon T6i

Compared to Canon T6s

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6s

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$619
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6s

Canon 77D

Canon T6s

$550
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Bluetooth

$619
APS-C

Bigger JPEG buffer

Compare Canon 77D vs Canon T6s

Compared to Pentax K-70

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax K-70

$830
APS-C

Built-in GPS
Longer stills battery life

$597
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax K-70

Canon 77D

Pentax K-70

$550
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

$597
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon 77D vs Pentax K-70

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 77D

Pentax KP

$550
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Canon 77D 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 77D

Canon T7i

$550
APS-C

More telephoto lens reach
Top deck display

$700
APS-C

Lighter weight

Compare Canon 77D vs Canon T7i

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