Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M1 II

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Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M1 II

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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.

4/3 226.2mm²
20.4 megapixels
ISO 200 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M1 II.
Compare Olympus E-M1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M1 II conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Olympus E-M1 Mark III
Compare E-M1 II vs E-M1 Mark III

Compare PENTAX K-3 III vs OLYMPUS E-M1 MARK III

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Olympus E-M1 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 3.36 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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 440 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Olympus E-M1 II advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
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
~0.80 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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.
E-M1 II test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

1,312 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
Lighter weight
574g vs 785g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
60.6 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
60.6 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
51 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/32000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
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
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

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Adorama
Read E-M1 II User Reviews

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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

Excellent image quality; Very good dynamic range & high ISO performance; Fantastic C-AF performance; Incredible burst rates, even with RAW; 4K UHD & Cinema 4K (DCI) video; Clean HDMI; Dual SD card slots.
Expensive; Menus still confusing; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No optical low-pass filter means greater risk of moire; No built-in flash.
Read our Olympus E-M1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Fujifilm X-T2

Pentax K-3 II

Fujifilm X-T2

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$999
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Fujifilm X-T2

Olympus E-M1 II

Fujifilm X-T2

$899
4/3

Lens selection
Less expensive

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Fujifilm X-T2

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

Olympus E-M1 II

Canon T6i

$899
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Panasonic G7

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic G7

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic G7

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic G7

$899
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic G7

Compared to Panasonic GX8

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic GX8

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

$998
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic GX8

Olympus E-M1 II

Panasonic GX8

$899
4/3

High resolution composite
Fast startup

$998
4/3

In-camera panoramas
NFC

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Panasonic GX8

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

Olympus E-M1 II

Pentax KP

$899
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M1 II vs Pentax KP

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