Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A6300

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Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A6300

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APS-C 366.6mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-S2 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-S2 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-S2.
Compare Pentax K-S2 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-S2 conclusion.

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 Sony A6400
Compare A6300 vs A6400
Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A6400

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Differences

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Sony A6300

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Fast startup
~1.00 vs 1.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6300 advantages over Pentax K-S2

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
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
48 mm vs 64 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
520g vs 859g
Lighter weight
Higher-res screen
307k vs 230k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.2 vs 20.1 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 5.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
44 vs 28 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.1 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 9 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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

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-S2 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A6300 User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-S2

Body Only (White)

Body Only (White)
Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (White)

All K-S2 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

Very compact for a weather-sealed DSLR; Good ergonomics and great viewfinder; Excellent image quality; Decent performance for its class; Articulated screen is great for difficult compositions; Offers features not found in other Pentax DSLRs
18-50mm kit lens is fiddly and prone to jamming when retracted; Wi-Fi is slow and unintuitive; Slow startup; Limited movie mode; Poor battery life for a DSLR; Priced too close to its enthusiast-grade sibling
Read our Pentax K-S2 Review

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 Pentax K-500

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-500

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-500

Sony A6300

Pentax K-500

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$597
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6300 vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-S1

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$502
APS-C

Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-S1

Sony A6300

Pentax K-S1

$748
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

$502
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A6300 vs Pentax K-S1

Compared to Nikon D5500

Pentax K-S2

Nikon D5500

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$697
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon D5500

Sony A6300

Nikon D5500

$748
APS-C

Focus peaking
Shoot 4K video

$697
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A6300 vs Nikon D5500

Compared to Fujifilm X-A3

Pentax K-S2

Fujifilm X-A3

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$549
APS-C

Touchscreen
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-S2 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

Compared to Sony A6500

Pentax K-S2

Sony A6500

$499
APS-C

Lens selection
Tilt-swivel screen

$1198
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A6500

Sony A6300

Sony A6500

$748
APS-C

Less expensive

$1198
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A6300 vs Sony A6500

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