Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D500 Specifications

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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 369.0mm²
20.9 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Nikon D500 Review.
How does it shoot? Nikon D500 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the D500.
Compare Nikon D500 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Nikon D500 conclusion.

Detailed specifications
Pentax K-3 II
Nikon D500

Links
Prices:	Compare Prices	Compare Prices
Manufacturer URL:	Manufacturer website	Manufacturer website
Predecessor:	Pentax K-3 K-3 vs K-3 II	Nikon D300S D300S vs D500
Successor:	Pentax K-3 III K-3 II vs K-3 III
General
Model Number:	K-3 II	D500
Alternate Model Number(s):
Camera Format:	Pro SLR	Pro SLR
Currently Manufactured:	Yes	Yes
Retail Price:	$850.00	$1999.95
Street Price:	$829.99	$1,598.45
Date Available:	2015-05-15	2016-03-15
Tripod Mount:	Yes	Yes
Weight:	27.7 oz (785 g) includes batteries	30.2 oz (856 g) includes batteries
Size:	5.2 x 4.0 x 3.1 in. (132 x 102 x 77 mm)	5.8 x 4.5 x 3.2 in. (147 x 115 x 81 mm)
Waterproof:	No	No
Waterproof Depth:	n/a	n/a

Image Sensor
Sensor Type:	CMOS	CMOS
Sensor Manufacturer:
Effective Megapixels:	24.4	20.9
Sensor Format:	APS-C	APS-C
Sensor size:	366.6mm² (23.50mm x 15.60mm)	368.95mm² (23.50mm x 15.70mm)
Approximate Pixel Pitch:	3.91 microns	4.22 microns
Focal Length Multiplier:	1.5x	1.5x
Aspect Ratio:	3:2	3:2
Color Filter Type:	RGBG	RGBG
Anti Aliasing Filter:	Optional	None
Self-Cleaning:	Yes	Yes
Sensor shift image stabilization:	Yes	No
On-Sensor Phase Detect:	No	No
DxO Sensor Score:	80	83
DxO Color Depth Score (bits):	23.6	24.0
DxO Dynamic Range Score (evs):	13.6	14.0
DxO Maximum Effective ISO Score (iso):	1,106	1,324
Image Capture
Image Resolution:	6016 x 4000 (24.1 MP, 3:2), 4608 x 3072 (14.2 MP, 3:2), 3072 x 2048 (6.3 MP, 3:2), 1920 x 1280 (2.5 MP, 3:2)	5568 x 3712 (20.7 MP, 3:2), 4176 x 2784 (11.6 MP, 3:2), 2784 x 1856 (5.2 MP, 3:2), 4272 x 2848 (12.2 MP, 3:2), 3200 x 2136 (6.8 MP, 3:2), 2128 x 1424 (3.0 MP, Other)
Image File Format:	JPEG (EXIF 2.30), 14-bit RAW (.PEF, .DNG), RAW+JPEG	JPEG (EXIF 2.3), NEF (RAW), 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed, L/M/S; RAW+JPEG, TIFF
Continuous-mode frames/second:	8.1	10.2
Video Capture
Can take movies:	Yes	Yes
Movie Resolution:	1920x1080 (60i/50i/30p/25p/24p) 1280x720 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p)	3840x2160 (30p/25p/24p) 1920x1080 (60p/50p/30p/25p/24p) 1280x720 (60p/50p)
Movie File Format:	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (MOV), Motion JPEG (AVI) for interval movie record	MOV (Video: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC; Audio: Stereo Linear PCM)
Composite Video Out:	No	No
NTSC/PAL Switchable Video:	n/a	n/a
Video Usable as Viewfinder:	n/a	n/a
HD Video Out:	Yes	Yes
HD Video Connection:	HDMI	HDMI

Lens & Optics
Lens Mount:	Pentax K (KA/KAF/KAF2/3)	Nikon F
Lens:	n/a	n/a
Focal Length (35mm equivalent):
Focal Length (actual):
Zoom Ratio:
Aperture Range:
Integrated ND Filter:	No	No
Normal Focus Range:
Macro Focus Range:
Filter Thread:	n/a	n/a
Thread Type:	n/a	n/a
Optical Image Stabilization:	No	No
Digital Zoom:		No
Digital Zoom Values:		n/a
Auto Focus
Auto Focus:	Yes	Yes
Auto Focus Type:	SAFOX 11 TTL phase-matching - 27 point (25 cross type focus points in the center)	OVF: Nikon Advanced Multi-CAM 20K autofocus sensor module with TTL phase detection fine-tuning, and 153 focus points (including 99 cross-type sensors and 15 sensors that support f/8), of which 55 (35 cross-type sensors and 9 f/8 sensors) are available for selection; ; Contrast-detect AF in Live View mode
Auto Focus Assist Light?	Yes	No
Manual Focus:	Yes	Yes
Viewfinder
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD	Optical / LCD
Viewfinder Type:	SLR type; eye-level pentaprism, ~100% coverage, 0.95x mag., TBDmm eyepoint, -2.5 to +1.5 diopter	SLR type: eye-level pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.0x magnification (~0.67x 35mm eq.), 16mm eyepoint, -2 to +1 diopter
Focus Peaking:	Yes	No
EVF Resolution:	n/a	n/a
Viewfinder Magnification (35mm equivalent):	0.63x	0.67x
Viewfinder Magnification (nominal/claimed):	0.95x	1.00x
Display
Eye-level Viewfinder:	Yes	Yes
Rear Display:	Yes	Yes
Rear Display Size (inches):	3.2	3.2
Rear Display Resolution:	1,036,800 dots (345,600 px)	2,359,000 dots (589,750 px)
Touchscreen:	No	Yes
Articulating Screen:	No	Yes
Tilt Swivel Screen:	No	No
Selfie Screen:	No	No
Max Playback Zoom:	16.0x
Top Deck Display:	Yes	Yes

Exposure
Maximum ISO (native):	51200	51200
Minimum ISO (native):	100	100
ISO Settings:	Auto, 100-51200 (1, 1/2 or 1/3 EV steps)	Auto, ISO 100 - 51200, expandable to Lo-1 ISO 50 to Hi-5 ISO 1,638,400
Auto ISO Mode:	Yes	Yes
White Balance Settings:	Auto, Multi Auto WB, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Fluorescent Light (D: Daylight Color, N:Daylight White, W:Cool White, L:Warm White), Tungsten Light, Flash, CTE, Manual (up to 3 settings), Color Temperature (up to 3 settings)	Auto (3 types), Cloudy, Shade, Direct Sunlight, Flash, Fluorescent (7 types), Incandescent, Kelvin Color Temperature (2,500K-10,000K), Preset manual (up to 6); Fine tuning available.
Shutter Speed Range:	1/8000 - 30 sec	1/8000 - 30 sec
Bulb Mode:	Yes	Yes
Exposure Compensation:	+/- 5.0EV in 0.3EV steps	+/- 5.0EV in 0.3EV steps
Metering Modes:	TTL open-aperture: Multi-segment with 86K-pixel RGB sensor, Center-weighted, Spot	TTL exposure metering using RGB sensor with approximately 180K (180,000) pixels; Matrix: 3D color matrix metering III (type G, E, and D lenses), color matrix metering III (other CPU lenses); Center-weighted (weight of approximately 75% given to 8mm circle in center of frame. Diameter of circle can be changed to 6, 10, or 13mm, or weighting can be based on average of entire frame (non-CPU lenses use 8-mm circle); Spot: meters circle with diameter of about 3.5mm (about 2.5% of frame) centered on selected focus point (on center focus point when non-CPU lens is used); Highlight-weighted: Available with type G, E, and D lenses
Program Auto Exposure:	Yes	Yes
Aperture Priority:	Yes	Yes
Shutter Priority:	Yes	Yes
Full Manual Exposure:	Yes	Yes
Creative Exposure Modes:	Sensitivity Priority, Shutter and Aperture Priority; Digital filters (capture): Extract Color, Toy Camera, Retro, High Contrast, Shading, Invert Color, Unicolor Bold, Bold Monochrome; HDR: Auto, HDR1, HDR2, HDR3; Pixel Shift Resolution (On/Off)	N/A
Self Timer:	2 or 12 seconds	2/5/10/20s; 1-9 exposures at intervals of 0.5, 1, 2, or 3 seconds
Time Lapse (intervalometer):	Yes	Yes
High Resolution Composite:	24.0 megapixels	No
Flash
Built-in Flash:	No	No
Flash Modes:	P-TTL; Modes available depends on external flash mounted	Front curtain sync, slow sync, rear-curtain sync, red-eye reduction, red-eye reduction with slow sync, slow rear-curtain sync, Auto FP High-Speed Sync supported
Flash Guide Number (ISO 100):	n/a	n/a
Flash Range Description:	n/a	n/a
Max Flash Sync:	1/180	1/250
Flash Exposure Compensation:	-2 to +1 EV in 0.5EV steps	-3 to +1 EV in 0.3EV steps
External Flash Connection:	Hot Shoe, PC Sync socket	Hot Shoe, PC-sync Terminal
Built-In Wireless Flash Control:		No
Image Storage
Usable Memory Types:	SD / SDHC / SDXC	XQD / SD / SDHC / SDXC
UHS Support:	UHS-I	UHS-II
Other Memory:		Dual slots, XQD+SD
Dual Card Slots:	Yes	Yes
RAW Capture Support:	Yes	Yes
Uncompressed Format:	14-bit RAW (.PEF, .DNG), RAW+JPEG	NEF (RAW), 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed, compressed, or uncompressed, L/M/S; RAW+JPEG, TIFF
Movie File Format:	MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (MOV), Motion JPEG (AVI) for interval movie record	MOV (Video: H.264/MPEG-4 AVC; Audio: Stereo Linear PCM)
Included Memory:	No memory included	No memory included
Included Memory Type:
Connectivity
Built-In Wi-Fi:	No	Yes
NFC:	No	Yes
Bluetooth:	No	Yes
Built-In GPS:	Yes	No
Microphone Jack:	Yes	Yes
Headphone Jack:	Yes	Yes
External Connections:	USB 3.0 Super Speed	USB 3.0 Super Speed,Bluetooth,WiFi
PictBridge Compliant:	No	Yes
DPOF Compliant:	Yes	Yes
Remote Control:	Yes	Yes
Remote Control Type:	Optional Wired or IR	Optional: wired or wireless
Connections (extended):	Micro (Type D) HMDI, USB 3.0 Micro B, DC input, wired remote jack, 3.5mm external stereo mic jack, 3.5mm stereo headphone jack	Type-C Mini HDMI with uncompressed video support, 10-pin Remote Terminal, PC Sync

Performance Timing
Cycle time for JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame, max resolution):	<0.3	<0.3
Cycle time for RAW shooting in single shot mode (seconds per frame):
Buffer size for RAW shooting in single shot mode (frames):
Cycle time for RAW+JPEG shooting in single shot mode (seconds per shot):	0.60	<0.3
Camera penalizes early shutter press?	No	No
JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps, max resolution):	8.1	10.2
Buffer size for JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames, max resolution):	60	200
RAW shooting speed in burst mode (fps):	8.2	10.2
Buffer size for RAW shooting in burst mode (frames):	22	200
RAW+JPEG shooting speed in burst mode (fps):	8.2	10.2
Buffer Size for RAW+JPEG shooting in burst mode (frames):	23	27
Shutter lag (full AF, wide/mid):	0.14 seconds	0.17 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, tele):
Shutter lag (full AF, live view - DSLR):
Shutter lag (prefocused, live view - DSLR):	0.274 seconds	0.103 seconds
Shutter Lag (manual focus):	0.094 seconds	0.049 seconds
Shutter lag (full AF, with flash):
Shutter Lag (prefocused):	0.090 seconds	0.049 seconds
Shutter Lag (notes):
Startup Time:	1.2 seconds	0.3 seconds
Play -> Record Time:	0.5 seconds	0.2 seconds
Flash cycle time, full power:
Power
Battery Life, Stills (CIPA Rating Monitor/Live View):
Battery Life, Still (CIPA Rating OVF/EVF):	720 shots	1240 shots
Battery Life, Video:		50 minutes
Battery Form Factor:	Proprietary D-LI90	Proprietary EN-EL15, optional MB-D17 battery grip
Usable Battery Types:	Lithium-ion rechargeable	Lithium-ion rechargeable
Batteries Included:	1 x Proprietary D-LI90 Lithium-ion rechargeable	1 x Proprietary EN-EL15 Lithium-ion rechargeable
Battery Charger Included (dedicated charger or AC/USB adapter):	Yes	Yes
Dedicated Battery Charger Included:	Yes	Yes
Internal Charging Supported:	No	No
Software
Included Software:	Software CD-ROM includes Digital Camera Utility 5	ViewNX-i, ViewNX-Movie Editor, Capture NX-D, Nikon Transfer 2, Picture Control Utility 2 downloads
OS Compatibility:		Windows 7/8/10, Mac OS X 10.9.5-10.11.5
Miscellaneous
Notes & Features:	Improved sensor-shift shake reduction (up to 4.5 stops), new Pixel Shift Resolution mode (4-shot composite provides full color information at each pixel and reduces noise), built-in GPS with ASTROTRACER and electronic compass.