Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M5 III

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Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M5 III

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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 - 6400

Go in depth with our full Olympus E-M5 III Review.
How does it shoot? Olympus E-M5 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the E-M5 III.
Compare Olympus E-M5 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Olympus E-M5 III conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III
Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Olympus E-M5 III

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Olympus E-M5 III

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Less expensive
$830* vs $1099
Save money for lenses or accessories
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 310 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
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 None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 26 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Olympus E-M5 III 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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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
Thinner
49 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Newer
5 years vs 10 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
414g vs 785g
Lighter weight
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
30.0 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
30.0 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
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
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

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Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Buy the Olympus E-M5 III

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 14-150mm Lens (Black)
Kit with 14-150mm Lens (Silver)

All E-M5 III 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

Improved image quality; Very good dynamic range & high ISO performance for a modern MFT sensor; Very fast AF; Excellent image stabilization; 4K video recording; Weather-sealed build quality.
Below average battery life; Small size can be awkward with long, heavy lenses; One SD card slot.
Read our Olympus E-M5 III 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

Olympus E-M5 III

Canon T6i

$924
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 III 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

Olympus E-M5 III

Pentax KP

$924
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Olympus E-M5 III 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

Olympus E-M5 III

Canon T7i

$924
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Olympus E-M5 III vs Canon T7i

Compared to Panasonic G100

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic G100

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$599
4/3

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic G100

Olympus E-M5 III

Panasonic G100

$924
4/3

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$599
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Olympus E-M5 III vs Panasonic G100

Compared to Olympus E-M10 IV

Pentax K-3 II

Olympus E-M10 IV

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$666
4/3

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Olympus E-M10 IV

Olympus E-M5 III

Olympus E-M10 IV

$924
4/3

Tilt-swivel screen
High resolution composite

$666
4/3

Less expensive
Longer video battery life

Compare Olympus E-M5 III vs Olympus E-M10 IV

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