Pentax K-30 vs Sony RX10

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Pentax K-30 vs Sony RX10

Leave Feedback

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.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 200.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX10 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX10 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX10.
Compare Sony RX10 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX10 conclusion.

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

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 II
Compare RX10 vs RX10 II

Compare PENTAX K-50 vs SONY RX10 II

Buy From

Differences

Pentax K-30 advantages over Sony RX10

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~1.10 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
K-30 test data on DxO Mark RX10 test data on DxO Mark

1,129 vs 474 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
71 mm vs 102 mm
Thinner
Bigger JPEG buffer
45 vs 21 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/3200 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony RX10 advantages over Pentax K-30

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
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Higher max flash sync
1/3200 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
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
20.2 vs 16.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 5.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

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.
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
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
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-30 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX10 User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-30

Body Only

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

All K-30 Deals

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony RX10

Sony RX10

All RX10 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

Smaller than SLR/CSC with comparable lenses; Larger sensor than other bridge cameras; SLR-like body without the hassle of changing lenses; Weather-sealed; Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture; Generous zoom range; Great viewfinder; Swift performance; Plenty of enthusiast-friendly features including raw shooting; Wi-Fi and NFC wireless sharing.
Expensive compared to other bridge cameras; Menus respond slowly after burst shooting; Lens doesn't zoom very quickly; High ISO performance doesn't quite match RX100 II.
Read our Sony RX10 Review

The Competition

Compared to Panasonic FZ1000

Pentax K-30

Panasonic FZ1000

$599
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Sony RX10

Panasonic FZ1000

$698
1 inch

Top deck display
Integrated ND filter

$773
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX10 vs Panasonic FZ1000

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 RX10

Nikon D7000

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 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 RX10

Canon T4i

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$579
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX10 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 RX10

Pentax K-5 II

$698
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 vs Pentax K-5 II

Compared to Sony RX10 II

Pentax K-30

Sony RX10 II

$599
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-30 vs Sony RX10 II

Sony RX10

Sony RX10 II

$698
1 inch

Less expensive

$998
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony RX10 vs Sony RX10 II

Compare Other Cameras?