Pentax K-500 vs Sony A77 II

Cameras
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Pentax K-500 vs Sony A77 II

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

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-500 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-500.

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

Go in depth with our full Sony A77 II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A77 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A77 II.
Compare Sony A77 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A77 II conclusion.

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Differences

Pentax K-500 advantages over Sony A77 II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
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

710 vs 480 shots
Capture more photos
Lighter weight
852g vs 1351g
Lighter weight

Sony A77 II advantages over Pentax K-500

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
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
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
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
0.73x vs 0.61x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.3 vs 16.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
More AF points
79 vs 11
More AF points improve autofocus
Wider angle kit lens
24 mm vs 27 mm
Capture more of the scene with the included lens
Faster JPEG shooting
11.5 fps vs 6.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
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

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
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-500 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A77 II User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-500

Kit with 18-55mm and 50-200mm Lenses

Kit with 18-55mm and 50-200mm Lenses
Body Only
Kit with 18-55mm Lens

All K-500 Deals

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Buy the Sony A77 II

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm Lens

All A77 II Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Pentax K-500, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Pentax K-500 First Shots

Excellent image quality, especially lower ISOs; Improved high ISO performance when using RAW; Very good dynamic range; High-resolution images; Very fast single-shot autofocus; 12fps burst mode with C-AF; Good value for its class.
Lackluster continuous AF performance; Strong NR processing in high ISO JPEGs; Sluggish buffer clearing; Short battery life compared to most DSLRs; Joystick control easy to press accidentally.
Read our Sony A77 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony A57

Pentax K-500

Sony A57

$597
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$800
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-500 vs Sony A57

Sony A77 II

Sony A57

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$800
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Lighter weight

Compare Sony A77 II vs Sony A57

Compared to Pentax K-5 IIs

Pentax K-500

Pentax K-5 IIs

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$497
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
Top deck display

Compare Pentax K-500 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Sony A77 II

Pentax K-5 IIs

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$497
APS-C

Lens selection
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A77 II vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Compared to Canon T5i

Pentax K-500

Canon T5i

$597
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$539
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-500 vs Canon T5i

Sony A77 II

Canon T5i

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$539
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 II vs Canon T5i

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Pentax K-500

Canon 7D Mark II

$597
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$1799
APS-C

Built-in GPS
On-sensor phase detect

Compare Pentax K-500 vs Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A77 II

Canon 7D Mark II

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$1799
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A77 II vs Canon 7D Mark II

Compared to Nikon D7200

Pentax K-500

Nikon D7200

$597
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1016
APS-C

Built-in Wi-Fi
NFC

Compare Pentax K-500 vs Nikon D7200

Sony A77 II

Nikon D7200

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1016
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A77 II vs Nikon D7200

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