Pentax K-5 vs Sony RX10 III

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Pentax K-5 vs Sony RX10 III

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APS-C 372.1mm²
16.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 12,800

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-5 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-5.

1 inch 116.2mm²
20.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 600.00mm (35mm eq.)

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

Succeeded by the Pentax K-5 II
Compare K-5 vs K-5 II

Succeeded by the Sony RX10 IV
Compare RX10 III vs RX10 IV

Compare PENTAX K-5 II vs SONY RX10 IV

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Differences

Pentax K-5 advantages over Sony RX10 III

Less expensive
$800 vs $1398
Save money for lenses or accessories
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
~0.60 vs 2.1 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-5 test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

1,162 vs 472 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More dynamic range

More dynamic range

Cameras with more dynamic range allow you to take photos with dramatic differences in highlight and shadow areas while retaining detail in both.

Think of a brilliant sunset on a rocky beach: Bright sunset in the background, with dark rocks in the foreground. High dynamic range means more of the extremes will be faithfully reproduced.

Dynamic range test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
K-5 test data on DxO Mark RX10 III test data on DxO Mark

14.1 vs 12.6 evs
Retain detail in highlight and shadows
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

740 vs 420 shots
Capture more photos
Thinner
73 mm vs 127 mm
Thinner
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony RX10 III advantages over Pentax K-5

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
Newer
9 years vs 14 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.61x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
20.1 vs 16.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Faster JPEG shooting
14.2 fps vs 6.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.0 fps vs 6.5 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Faster shutter
1/32000 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
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.
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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
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
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

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Adorama
Read K-5 User Reviews

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Body Only
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Sony RX10 III

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Review Excerpt

Excellent high ISO performance, one of the best APS-C sensors yet; 6.5 fps burst mode has very good buffer depths; Weather, dust, and cold resistant; In-body Shake Reduction corrects not only horizontal / vertical, but also rotational motion.
Default saturation and contrast a bit high; Auto white balance too warm in tungsten light; Fewer AF points than main competitors; Only a single card slot, and no UHS-I card support (slow buffer clearing).
Read our Pentax K-5 Full Review

Versatile all-in-one replacement for a DSLR or mirrorless camera; Great handling and build; Excellent image quality; Spectacular zoom reach; Swift performance with generous buffer depths; Extremely capable video capture; Comprehensive remote control; Quick-and-easy image sharing
Extremely expensive for a fixed-lens camera; Fairly heavy for fixed-lens camera; Somewhat soft in the corners at wide-angle or tele; Noise reduction intrudes at higher sensitivities; No built-in ND filter; Not as fast when shooting raws; Slow buffer clearing
Read our Sony RX10 III Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon T3i

Pentax K-5

Canon T3i

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Pentax K-5 vs Canon T3i

Sony RX10 III

Canon T3i

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Canon T3i

Compared to Nikon D5100

Pentax K-5

Nikon D5100

$800
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Top deck display

$650
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-5 vs Nikon D5100

Sony RX10 III

Nikon D5100

$1398
1 inch

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$650
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Nikon D5100

Compared to Pentax K-30

Pentax K-5

Pentax K-30

$800
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

$599
APS-C

Focus peaking
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Pentax K-5 vs Pentax K-30

Sony RX10 III

Pentax K-30

$1398
1 inch

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$599
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Pentax K-30

Compared to Panasonic FZ2500

Pentax K-5

Panasonic FZ2500

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$899
1 inch

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

Compare Pentax K-5 vs Panasonic FZ2500

Sony RX10 III

Panasonic FZ2500

$1398
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Larger lens aperture

$899
1 inch

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Panasonic FZ2500

Compared to Sony RX10 IV

Pentax K-5

Sony RX10 IV

$800
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$1698
1 inch

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-5 vs Sony RX10 IV

Sony RX10 III

Sony RX10 IV

$1398
1 inch

Less expensive

$1698
1 inch

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

Compare Sony RX10 III vs Sony RX10 IV

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