Pentax K-50 vs Panasonic LX100 II

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Pentax K-50 vs Panasonic LX100 II

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APS-C 372.1mm²
16.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-50 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-50.

4/3 224.9mm²
17.0 megapixels
24.00mm - 75.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic LX100 II Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic LX100 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the LX100 II.
Compare Panasonic LX100 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic LX100 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-70
Compare K-50 vs K-70
Compare Pentax K-70 vs Panasonic LX100 II

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Differences

Pentax K-50 advantages over Panasonic LX100 II

Less expensive
$149 vs $798*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 3.36 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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

480 vs 300 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Has anti-aliasing filter
Filter vs No Filter
Reduces unsightly moiré in photos
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Panasonic LX100 II advantages over Pentax K-50

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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
6 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Higher-res screen
413k vs 307k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.61x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Lacks anti-aliasing filter
No Filter vs Filter
Enjoy sharper photos
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
11.3 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
109 vs 30 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/6000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

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
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
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
External Mic Jack
Neither provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-50 User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-50

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Body Only
Kit with 18-55mm and 50-200mm lenses
Kit with 18-55mm lens

All K-50 Deals

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Buy the Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic LX100 II (Black)

All LX100 II Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Pentax K-50, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Pentax K-50 First Shots

Compact coat-pocket friendly body with plenty of dedicated controls; Great electronic viewfinder; Impressive image quality for its class; Generous performance; Decent battery life.
Too big for a pants pocket; No articulation for LCD; Relatively short zoom range compared to some rivals; Can't use full sensor area at any aspect ratio; Not the best choice for video.
Read our Panasonic LX100 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon T3

Pentax K-50

Canon T3

$149
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$199
APS-C

Longer stills battery life
HDMI out

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Canon T3

Panasonic LX100 II

Canon T3

$898
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$199
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Canon T3

Compared to Sony A57

Pentax K-50

Sony A57

$149
APS-C

Lens selection
Higher effective ISO

$800
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Sony A57

Panasonic LX100 II

Sony A57

$898
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$800
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Sony A57

Compared to Sony A37

Pentax K-50

Sony A37

$149
APS-C

Lens selection
Higher effective ISO

$600
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Sony A37

Panasonic LX100 II

Sony A37

$898
4/3

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$600
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Sony A37

Compared to Panasonic LX100

Pentax K-50

Panasonic LX100

$149
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Panasonic LX100

Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic LX100

$898
4/3

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Panasonic LX100

Compared to Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Pentax K-50

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$149
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$875
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Panasonic LX100 II

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$898
4/3

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

$875
4/3

Bigger pixels
Has anti-aliasing filter

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

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