Pentax K-50 vs Nikon D810

Nikon D810 advantages over Pentax K-50

• Larger sensor
  35mm vs APS-C
  More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
• 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.

  D810 test data on DxO Mark K-50 test data on DxO Mark
  2,853 vs 1,120 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.

  D810 test data on DxO Mark K-50 test data on DxO Mark
  14.8 vs 13.0 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

  1200 vs 480 shots
  Capture more photos
• Top deck display
  Yes vs No
  Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
• External Mic Jack
  Jack vs No jack
  Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
• More cross-type AF points
  15 vs 9
  Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
• 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
  36.3 vs 16.3 megapixels
  Higher resolution photos
• Dual card slots
  Yes vs No
  Gives you more storage flexibility
• More AF points
  51 vs 11
  More AF points improve autofocus
• Headphone jack
  Yes vs No
  Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
• Lacks anti-aliasing filter
  No Filter vs Filter
  Enjoy sharper photos
• Bigger JPEG buffer
  57 vs 30 shots
  Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)