• APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 20.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 51,200
  • 35mm 847.3mm2
  • 12.2 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 102,400

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Differences

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Sony A7S II

  • 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
  • Fast startup
    ~1.00 vs 2.9 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Internal flash
    Internal flash vs None
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • More pixels
    20.1 vs 12.2 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Optional anti-aliasing filter
    Optional vs Fixed
    Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré

Sony A7S II advantages over Pentax K-S2

  • Larger sensor
    35mm vs APS-C
    More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 8.40 vs 4.29 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • 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
  • Higher-res screen
    307k vs 230k pixels
    More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.78x vs 0.63x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • Headphone jack
    Yes vs No
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    63 vs 28 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Bigger RAW buffer
    28 vs 9 shots
    Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
  • Slow-motion videos
    Yes vs No
    Shoot slow-motion videos
  • Higher extended ISO
    409600 vs 51200 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Both provide
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Both provide
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • 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
  • 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
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

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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

  • Comfortable and surprisingly compact camera body; Improved low light performance; Built-in image stabilization; Wide range of usable ISOs; More sophisticated autofocus performance; Excellent video capabilities.

  • Relatively low resolution; Mediocre continuous shooting performance; No built-in flash; No losslessly compressed RAW option.

  • Read our Sony A7S II 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 A7S II
Pentax K-500
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $597
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A7S II vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Sony A7S

Pentax K-S2
Sony A7S
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $1998
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A7S

Sony A7S II
Sony A7S
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Shoot 4K video
  • $1998
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Fast startup

Compare Sony A7S II vs Sony A7S

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 A7S II
Pentax K-S1
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels
  • $502
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A7S II 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 A7S II
Nikon D5500
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $697
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S II vs Nikon D5500

Compared to Sony A9

Pentax K-S2
Sony A9
  • $499
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Larger sensor
  • Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A9

Sony A7S II
Sony A9
  • $2398
  • 35mm
  • Less expensive
  • Bigger pixels
  • $2997
  • 35mm
  • Touchscreen
  • Fast startup

Compare Sony A7S II vs Sony A9

Compare Other Cameras?