Pentax K-50 vs Sony A6300

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Pentax K-50 vs Sony A6300

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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.

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

Go in depth with our full Sony A6300 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A6300 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A6300.
Compare Sony A6300 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A6300 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-70
Compare K-50 vs K-70

Succeeded by the Sony A6400
Compare A6300 vs A6400

Compare PENTAX K-70 vs SONY A6400

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Differences

Pentax K-50 advantages over Sony A6300

Less expensive
$149 vs $848
Save money for lenses or accessories
Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Bigger pixels
~ 4.81 vs 3.92 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 400 shots
Capture more photos
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6300 advantages over Pentax K-50

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
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.
A6300 test data on DxO Mark K-50 test data on DxO Mark

1,437 vs 1,120 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
48 mm vs 71 mm
Thinner
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Lighter weight
520g vs 904g
Lighter weight
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
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.1 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

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
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
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
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-50 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6300 User Reviews

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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 Sony A6300

Body Only (Black)

Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Silver)
Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Black)
Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Silver)

All A6300 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

Excellent image quality; Improved high-ISO performance; Better JPEG quality; Fast autofocus; Very good subject tracking with real-time live view feature; All-magnesium body construction; 4K video.
Slow buffer clearing (no UHS-II support); No touchscreen, Clunky menus; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use.
Read our Sony A6300 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

Sony A6300

Canon T3

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$199
APS-C

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6300 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

Sony A6300

Sony A57

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Built-in Wi-Fi

$800
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6300 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

Sony A6300

Sony A37

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Built-in Wi-Fi

$600
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A6300 vs Sony A37

Compared to Sony A6000

Pentax K-50

Sony A6000

$149
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

$674
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Sony A6000

Sony A6300

Sony A6000

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

$674
APS-C

Less expensive

Compare Sony A6300 vs Sony A6000

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Pentax K-50

Fujifilm X-A3

$149
APS-C

Less expensive
Lens selection

$549
APS-C

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-50 vs Fujifilm X-A3

Sony A6300

Fujifilm X-A3

$748
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Shoot 4K video

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A6300 vs Fujifilm X-A3

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