Samsung NX300 vs Pentax K-3

Cameras
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Samsung NX300 vs Pentax K-3

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APS-C 369.0mm²
20.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Samsung NX300 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the NX300.

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

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3.
Compare Pentax K-3 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Samsung NX500
Compare NX300 vs NX500

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 II
Compare K-3 vs K-3 II

Compare SAMSUNG NX500 vs PENTAX K-3 II

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Differences

Samsung NX300 advantages over Pentax K-3

Less expensive
$800 vs $1150 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
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
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Thinner
40 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
549g vs 1240g
Lighter weight
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Pentax K-3 advantages over Samsung NX300

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Fast startup
~0.90 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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.
K-3 test data on DxO Mark NX300 test data on DxO Mark

1,216 vs 942 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
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

560 vs 320 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
203 mm vs 85 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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 pixels
24.4 vs 20.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 14 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Bigger RAW buffer
24 vs 5 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 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
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

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read NX300 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

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Samsung NX300

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Buy the Pentax K-3

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All K-3 Deals

Review Excerpt

Stylish "retro modern" design in two color schemes; attractive 3.3-inch AMOLED tilting touchscreen; new APS-C CMOS sensor with on-chip phase detection AF; better image quality, particularly in low light at high ISOs; faster all-around performance; improved Wi-Fi connectivity.
Camera feels more plasticky than expected when you pick it up; slower shot-to-speeds compared to rivals; poor buffer depth with raw files; aggressive anti-noise processing destroys detail in high ISO shots; display smudges easily and is rather dim; no EVF support.
Read our Samsung NX300 Review

Top-notch image quality; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Unique on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots; Optional Wi-Fi remote control
AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a DSLR; Rather dated-looking menu system; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors; Less third-party support than some rivals
Read our Pentax K-3 Review

The Competition

Compared to Sony NEX-7

Samsung NX300

Sony NEX-7

$1200
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$1248
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Samsung NX300 vs Sony NEX-7

Pentax K-3

Sony NEX-7

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1248
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Sony NEX-7

Compared to Fujifilm X-E1

Samsung NX300

Fujifilm X-E1

$1200
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$1299
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Samsung NX300 vs Fujifilm X-E1

Pentax K-3

Fujifilm X-E1

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1299
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Fujifilm X-E1

Compared to Nikon D7100

Samsung NX300

Nikon D7100

$1200
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$690
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Samsung NX300 vs Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$690
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Nikon D5300

Samsung NX300

Nikon D5300

$1200
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

Compare Samsung NX300 vs Nikon D5300

Pentax K-3

Nikon D5300

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D5300

Compared to Fujifilm X-E2

Samsung NX300

Fujifilm X-E2

$1200
APS-C

Less expensive
Touchscreen

$1059
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Samsung NX300 vs Fujifilm X-E2

Pentax K-3

Fujifilm X-E2

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$1059
APS-C

Bigger pixels
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Fujifilm X-E2

Compare Other Cameras?