Pentax K-3 II vs Sony RX10 IV

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Pentax K-3 II vs Sony RX10 IV

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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 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 IV Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 IV in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10 IV.

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Sony RX10 IV

Less expensive
$830 vs $1698
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 2.41 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 1.9 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 400 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
77 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
785g vs 1095g
Lighter weight
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony RX10 IV advantages over Pentax K-3 II

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
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher-res screen
480k vs 346k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Faster JPEG shooting
23.8 fps vs 8.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
217 vs 60 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
24.2 fps vs 8.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
112 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (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

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.
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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
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
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 RX10 IV User Reviews

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Body Only (Black)

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Sony RX10 IV

All RX10 IV 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

We haven’t finished our review of the Sony RX10 IV, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Sony RX10 IV Shooter's Report

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 RX10 IV

Canon T6i

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 IV vs Canon T6i

Compared to Sony RX10 III

Pentax K-3 II

Sony RX10 III

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Less expensive

$1398
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

Compare Sony RX10 IV vs Sony RX10 III

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Pentax K-3 II

Panasonic FZ2500

$830
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 IV

Panasonic FZ2500

$1698
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 IV vs Panasonic FZ2500

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 RX10 IV

Pentax KP

$1698
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX10 IV 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 RX10 IV

Canon T7i

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 IV vs Canon T7i

Compare Other Cameras?