Pentax K-3 vs Sony A7R II

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Pentax K-3 vs Sony A7R II

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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.

35mm 861.6mm²
42.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A7R II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7R II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7R II.
Compare Sony A7R II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7R II conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Sony A7R III
Compare A7R II vs A7R III

Compare PENTAX K-3 II vs SONY A7R III

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Differences

Pentax K-3 advantages over Sony A7R II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Fast startup
~0.90 vs 1.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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 340 shots
Capture more photos
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
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
7.1 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 23 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
7.1 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Sony A7R II advantages over Pentax K-3

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.51 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
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
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.
A7R II test data on DxO Mark K-3 test data on DxO Mark

3,434 vs 1,216 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
42.4 vs 24.4 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7R II User Reviews

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Body Only
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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

Superb image quality; Very high resolution; Surprisingly good high ISO performance; Fast autofocus; Compact, comfortable body with lots of customization potential; Bright, roomy and clear viewfinder; Tilting LCD display; Five-axis stabilization; Intuitive Wi-Fi / NFC connectivity
Movie button is poorly located; No touch screen; Not as fast to start up or shoot photos as a similarly-priced SLR; Rather slow buffer clearing; No built-in flash; Single card slot; Not weather-sealed to the same degree as some rivals
Read our Sony A7R II Review

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 A7R II

Nikon D7100

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$745
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7R II 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 A7R II

Nikon D5300

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7R II 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 A7R II

Nikon D7200

$2348
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1016
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7R II vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Sony A9

Pentax K-3

Sony A9

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$2997
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Sony A9

Sony A7R II

Sony A9

$2348
35mm

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

$2997
35mm

Bigger pixels
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A9

Compared to Sony A7R III

Pentax K-3

Sony A7R III

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

$2151
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Sony A7R III

Sony A7R II

Sony A7R III

$2348
35mm

In-camera panoramas

$2151
35mm

Touchscreen
High resolution composite

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A7R III

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