Pentax K-3 vs Sony A6600

Cameras
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Pentax K-3 vs Sony A6600

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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.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 32,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A6600 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A6600.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 II
Compare K-3 vs K-3 II
Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A6600

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Differences

Pentax K-3 advantages over Sony A6600

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6600 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
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
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

810 vs 560 shots
Capture more photos
Newer
5 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Lighter weight
828g vs 1240g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Faster JPEG shooting
11.0 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.0 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
46 vs 24 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 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
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
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6600 User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-3

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All K-3 Deals

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Buy the Sony A6600

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All A6600 Deals

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 Sony A6600, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Sony A6600 Shooter's Report

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$745
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Sony A6600

Nikon D7100

$1131
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$745
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

Compare Sony A6600 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

Sony A6600

Nikon D5300

$1131
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony A6600 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

Sony A6600

Nikon D7200

$1131
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1016
APS-C

Lens selection
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A6600 vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Fujifilm X-T2

Pentax K-3

Fujifilm X-T2

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Fujifilm X-T2

Sony A6600

Fujifilm X-T2

$1131
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Sony A6600 vs Fujifilm X-T2

Compared to Fujifilm X-T3

Pentax K-3

Fujifilm X-T3

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1299
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Fujifilm X-T3

Sony A6600

Fujifilm X-T3

$1131
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
NFC

$1299
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Higher max flash sync

Compare Sony A6600 vs Fujifilm X-T3

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