Pentax K-3 II vs Canon EOS R

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Pentax K-3 II vs Canon EOS R

Leave Feedback

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
30.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 40,000

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

Buy From

Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon EOS R

Less expensive
$830* vs $2499
Save money for lenses or accessories
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
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.1 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 370 shots
Capture more photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré

Canon EOS R advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
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 (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
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.
EOS R test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

2,742 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
Newer
6 years vs 10 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More dots on screen
2100k vs 1037k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
More viewfinder magnification
0.76x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
30.3 vs 24.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bigger JPEG buffer
126 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
65 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (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

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
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
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

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read EOS R User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-3 II

Body Only (Black)

All K-3 II Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Canon EOS R

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 24-105mm lens

All EOS R 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 overall image quality; Good dynamic range & very good high ISO performance; Excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF performance; Sharp native lenses; Great performance with adapted optics; Compact design; Fully articulating LCD.
Sensor performance lags behind competition; No In-Body Image Stabilization; Sluggish burst speed with C-AF; Mediocre battery life; No 4Kp60; 1.7x 4K crop; Ergonomics could be better.
Read our Canon EOS R 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 EOS R

Canon T6i

$1499
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Canon EOS R 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 EOS R

Pentax KP

$1499
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon EOS R 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 EOS R

Canon T7i

$1499
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Canon EOS R vs Canon T7i

Compared to Nikon Z7

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon Z7

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
High resolution composite

$2147
35mm

Larger sensor
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon Z7

Canon EOS R

Nikon Z7

$1499
35mm

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$2147
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Fast startup

Compare Canon EOS R vs Nikon Z7

Compared to Nikon Z6

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon Z6

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
High resolution composite

$1396
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon Z6

Canon EOS R

Nikon Z6

$1499
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
More telephoto lens reach

$1396
35mm

Less expensive
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon EOS R vs Nikon Z6

Compare Other Cameras?