Samsung NX3000 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Samsung NX3000 vs Pentax K-3 II

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

Go in depth with our full Samsung NX3000 Review.
How does it shoot? Samsung NX3000 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the NX3000.

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

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

Succeeded by the Samsung NX3300
Compare NX3000 vs NX3300

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

Compare SAMSUNG NX3300 vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Samsung NX3000 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

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
Thinner
39 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Samsung NX3000

Lens selection
Excellent vs Limited
Better lens selection gives you more options
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
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
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Fast startup
~1.20 vs 2.0 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
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

720 vs 370 shots
Capture more photos
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
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Higher-res screen
346k vs 154k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.30 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.3 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
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
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 12 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
22 vs 4 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

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
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read NX3000 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Samsung NX3000, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
Read our Samsung NX3000 Shooter's Report

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Fujifilm X-M1

Samsung NX3000

Fujifilm X-M1

$950
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

$993
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX3000 vs Fujifilm X-M1

Pentax K-3 II

Fujifilm X-M1

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Eye-level viewfinder

$993
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Fujifilm X-M1

Compared to Sony A6000

Samsung NX3000

Sony A6000

$950
APS-C

Slow-motion videos

$674
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX3000 vs Sony A6000

Pentax K-3 II

Sony A6000

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$674
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A6000

Compared to Canon T6i

Samsung NX3000

Canon T6i

$950
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$699
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

Compare Samsung NX3000 vs Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Compared to Canon EOS M3

Samsung NX3000

Canon EOS M3

$950
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$850
APS-C

Focus peaking
Touchscreen

Compare Samsung NX3000 vs Canon EOS M3

Pentax K-3 II

Canon EOS M3

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$850
APS-C

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon EOS M3

Compared to Pentax KP

Samsung NX3000

Pentax KP

$950
APS-C

In-camera panoramas
NFC

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Samsung NX3000 vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

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