Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic ZS70

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Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic ZS70

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APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3.
Compare Pentax K-3 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 conclusion.

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

Go in depth with our full Panasonic ZS70 Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic ZS70 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the ZS70.

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

Succeeded by the Panasonic ZS80
Compare ZS70 vs ZS80

Compare PENTAX K-3 II vs PANASONIC ZS80

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Differences

Pentax K-3 advantages over Panasonic ZS70

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 1.19 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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

560 vs 380 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
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.46x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.3 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
Bigger RAW buffer
24 vs 10 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 6400 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Panasonic ZS70 advantages over Pentax K-3

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
Thinner
41 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
7 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
10.0 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/16000 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
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
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

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Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read ZS70 User Reviews

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Panasonic ZS70 (Black)

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Review Excerpt

Top-notch image quality; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Unique on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots; Optional Wi-Fi remote control
AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a DSLR; Rather dated-looking menu system; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors; Less third-party support than some rivals
Read our Pentax K-3 Review

We haven’t finished our review of the Panasonic ZS70, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Panasonic ZS70 Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$690
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Panasonic ZS70

Nikon D7100

$348
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$690
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS70 vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Nikon D5300

Pentax K-3

Nikon D5300

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D5300

Panasonic ZS70

Nikon D5300

$348
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic ZS70 vs Nikon D5300

Compared to Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7200

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1016
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7200

Panasonic ZS70

Nikon D7200

$348
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1016
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS70 vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Canon SX730 HS

Pentax K-3

Canon SX730 HS

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$399
1/2.3 inch

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Canon SX730 HS

Panasonic ZS70

Canon SX730 HS

$348
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$399
1/2.3 inch

NFC
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Panasonic ZS70 vs Canon SX730 HS

Compared to Panasonic ZS80

Pentax K-3

Panasonic ZS80

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$398
1/2.3 inch

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic ZS80

Panasonic ZS70

Panasonic ZS80

$348
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive

$398
1/2.3 inch

Built-in Bluetooth
Shoots 24p video

Compare Panasonic ZS70 vs Panasonic ZS80

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