Pentax K-3 II vs Sony HX99

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Pentax K-3 II vs Sony HX99

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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.

1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
18.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 720.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony HX99 Review.

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Sony HX99

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 1.26 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.3 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
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.25 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.50x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.4 vs 18.2 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
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 12800 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony HX99 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Less expensive
$473 vs $830
Save money for lenses or accessories
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
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Thinner
35 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
6 years vs 10 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
242g vs 785g
Lighter weight
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
103 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.0 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
50 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read HX99 User Reviews

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Sony HX99

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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

We haven’t reviewed the Sony HX99.
Read our Sony HX99 Initial Test

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

Sony HX99

Canon T6i

$473
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Sony HX99 vs Canon T6i

Compared to Sony HX90V

Pentax K-3 II

Sony HX90V

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$448
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony HX90V

Sony HX99

Sony HX90V

$473
1/2.3 inch

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$448
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
Longer video battery life

Compare Sony HX99 vs Sony HX90V

Compared to Sony HX80

Pentax K-3 II

Sony HX80

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$368
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony HX80

Sony HX99

Sony HX80

$473
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$368
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive

Compare Sony HX99 vs Sony HX80

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 HX99

Pentax KP

$473
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Shoot 4K video

$999
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony HX99 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 HX99

Canon T7i

$473
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$700
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony HX99 vs Canon T7i

Compare Other Cameras?