Sony A3000 vs Pentax K-3

Cameras
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Sony A3000 vs Pentax K-3

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APS-C 357.3mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A3000 Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A3000 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A3000.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A3000 conclusion.

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 Pentax K-3 II
Compare K-3 vs K-3 II
Compare Sony A3000 vs Pentax K-3 II

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Differences

Sony A3000 advantages over Pentax K-3

Less expensive
$400 vs $1150 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Lighter weight
616g vs 1240g
Lighter weight

Pentax K-3 advantages over Sony A3000

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Fast startup
~0.90 vs 2.2 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 A3000 test data on DxO Mark

1,216 vs 1,068 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More telephoto lens reach
203 mm vs 83 mm
Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
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
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Higher-res screen
346k vs 77k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
Less shutter lag
0.14 vs 0.28 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.47x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.4 vs 20.1 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
7.1 fps vs 3.5 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
75 vs 11 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 16000 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
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
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
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A3000 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

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Buy the Sony A3000

Kit with 18-55mm Lens

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Buy the Pentax K-3

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Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens

All K-3 Deals

Review Excerpt

Absolutely incredible value; Includes a stabilized kit lens; More versatile than a fixed-lens bridge camera; Comfortable body with good ergonomics; Great image quality; Good autofocus performance; Decent battery life.
Feels a bit plasticky; Slow burst shooting with limited buffer; Sluggish to power on or switch modes; Low-res EVF and LCD monitor; Can't review images using EVF; No video output; Weak flash; Battery charges in-camera.
Read our Sony A3000 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 Pentax K-01

Sony A3000

Pentax K-01

$500
APS-C

Less expensive
Eye-level viewfinder

$359
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Sony A3000 vs Pentax K-01

Pentax K-3

Pentax K-01

$699
APS-C

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

$359
APS-C

Less expensive
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Pentax K-01

Compared to Nikon D7100

Sony A3000

Nikon D7100

$500
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$810
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A3000 vs Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$810
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Nikon D7200

Sony A3000

Nikon D7200

$500
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-camera panoramas

$1016
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A3000 vs Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7200

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1016
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Sigma sd Quattro

Sony A3000

Sigma sd Quattro

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
In-camera panoramas

$699
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
HDMI out

Compare Sony A3000 vs Sigma sd Quattro

Pentax K-3

Sigma sd Quattro

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$699
APS-C

On-sensor phase detect
More dots on screen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Sigma sd Quattro

Compared to Canon EOS M5

Sony A3000

Canon EOS M5

$500
APS-C

Lens selection
In-camera panoramas

$787
APS-C

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

Compare Sony A3000 vs Canon EOS M5

Pentax K-3

Canon EOS M5

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Larger sensor

$787
APS-C

Touchscreen
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Canon EOS M5

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