Pentax K-30 vs Sony A6500

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Pentax K-30 vs Sony A6500

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APS-C 369.7mm²
16.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-30 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-30.

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A6500 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6500 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6500.
Compare Sony A6500 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6500 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-50
Compare K-30 vs K-50

Succeeded by the Sony A6600
Compare A6500 vs A6600

Compare PENTAX K-50 vs SONY A6600

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Differences

Pentax K-30 advantages over Sony A6500

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 3.92 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6500 advantages over Pentax K-30

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
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.
A6500 test data on DxO Mark K-30 test data on DxO Mark

1,405 vs 1,129 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
53 mm vs 71 mm
Thinner
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Newer
8 years vs 12 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.61x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.2 vs 16.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 5.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
231 vs 45 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 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
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
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
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-30 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6500 User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-30

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-55mm Lens

All K-30 Deals

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Buy the Sony A6500

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm lens

All A6500 Deals

Review Excerpt

Pentaprism viewfinder is bright and accurate; Weather-sealed body can handle direct rain; Twin control dials make exposure control a snap; Solid build; Great image quality.
Lower resolution than some rivals; Not as small as recent Pentax entry-level and mid-range models; A couple of ergonomic and UI quirks; Shutter isn't the quietest; 18-55 kit lens isn't weather-sealed.
Read our Pentax K-30 Review

Comfortable, premium body with good controls; Touch-screen for subject selection; Hybrid image stabilization system; Excellent image quality; Better high ISO JPEGs than the A6300; Extremely fast 11.1 fps burst capture; Very deep buffers for raw and JPEG alike; 4K video capture with no pixel binning
Pricey for an APS-C camera; JPEG colors aren't the most accurate; Very slow buffer clearing; Laggy touch-pad AF function; Poorly-placed movie button; No headphone jack; Mediocre battery life
Read our Sony A6500 Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7000

Pentax K-30

Nikon D7000

$599
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$699
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Nikon D7000

Sony A6500

Nikon D7000

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6500 vs Nikon D7000

Compared to Canon T4i

Pentax K-30

Canon T4i

$599
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$579
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Canon T4i

Sony A6500

Canon T4i

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$579
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A6500 vs Canon T4i

Compared to Pentax K-5 II

Pentax K-30

Pentax K-5 II

$599
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$699
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Pentax K-5 II

Sony A6500

Pentax K-5 II

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6500 vs Pentax K-5 II

Compared to Fujifilm X-Pro2

Pentax K-30

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$599
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1300
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

Sony A6500

Fujifilm X-Pro2

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$1300
APS-C

Higher max flash sync
More dots on screen

Compare Sony A6500 vs Fujifilm X-Pro2

Compared to Sony A6300

Pentax K-30

Sony A6300

$599
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Sony A6300

Sony A6500

Sony A6300

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

$748
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony A6500 vs Sony A6300

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