Pentax K-S2 vs Sony RX1R II

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Pentax K-S2 vs Sony RX1R II

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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.

35mm 861.6mm²
42.4 megapixels
35.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX1R II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX1R II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX1R II.
Compare Sony RX1R II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX1R II conclusion.

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Differences

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Sony RX1R II

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 1.5 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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

410 vs 220 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Less shutter lag
0.12 vs 0.26 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony RX1R II advantages over Pentax K-S2

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
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
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Higher-res screen
307k vs 230k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.74x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
42.4 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bigger RAW buffer
23 vs 9 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
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
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Adorama
Read K-S2 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read RX1R II User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-S2

Body Only (White)

Body Only (White)
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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)

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Buy the Sony RX1R II

Sony RX1R II

All RX1R II 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; Extremely high resolution; Surprisingly good high ISO performance; Outstanding dynamic range; Handy variable low-pass filter; Fast phase-detect AF; Built-in EVF.
Fixed, single focal length lens; Poor battery life; No built-in flash; No touchscreen LCD; Slow buffer clearing; No 4K video; Expensive.
Read our Sony RX1R II Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony RX1

Pentax K-S2

Sony RX1

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$2398
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony RX1

Sony RX1R II

Sony RX1

$3298
35mm

Eye-level viewfinder
Tiltable Screen

$2398
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX1R II vs Sony RX1

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 RX1R II

Pentax K-500

$3298
35mm

Larger sensor
In-camera panoramas

$597
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony RX1R II vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Sony RX1R

Pentax K-S2

Sony RX1R

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Eye-level viewfinder

$2598
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony RX1R

Sony RX1R II

Sony RX1R

$3298
35mm

Eye-level viewfinder
Tiltable Screen

$2598
35mm

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

Compare Sony RX1R II vs Sony RX1R

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 RX1R II

Pentax K-S1

$3298
35mm

Larger sensor
In-camera panoramas

$502
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony RX1R 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 RX1R II

Nikon D5500

$3298
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$697
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Sony RX1R II vs Nikon D5500

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