Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A7 III

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Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A7 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.

35mm 847.3mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Sony A7 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7 III.
Compare Sony A7 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7 III conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Sony A7 IV
Compare A7 III vs A7 IV

Compare PENTAX K-3 III vs SONY A7 IV

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Sony A7 III

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$830* vs $1998
Save money for lenses or accessories
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 1.7 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré

Sony A7 III advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.93 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
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
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
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.
A7 III test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

3,730 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
7 years vs 9 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Faster JPEG shooting
9.9 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
163 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
9.7 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
33 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
204800 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
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

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7 III User Reviews

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All A7 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

New 24MP sensor offers excellent image quality; Outstanding high ISO performance and dynamic range; Improved JPEG colors; Improved build quality; Fast autofocus; Excellent 4K video; Very good battery life.
Buffer clearing can be slow even with fast UHS-II cards; UHS-II support only on one card slot; No losslessly compressed RAW option; Dedicated battery charger not included; Menus are still confusing; No built-in flash.
Read our Sony A7 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$599
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Sony A7 III

Canon T6i

$1865
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$599
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 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

Sony A7 III

Pentax KP

$1865
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7 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

Sony A7 III

Canon T7i

$1865
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Canon T7i

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

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6

$1865
35mm

NFC
Higher effective ISO

$1396
35mm

Top deck display
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6

Compared to Nikon Z6 II

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon Z6 II

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
High resolution composite

$1747
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon Z6 II

Sony A7 III

Nikon Z6 II

$1865
35mm

NFC
Longer video battery life

$1747
35mm

Top deck display
Newer

Compare Sony A7 III vs Nikon Z6 II

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