Sony A65 vs Pentax K-S2

Cameras
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Sony A65 vs Pentax K-S2

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APS-C 369.7mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Sony A65 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A65.

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.

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Differences

Sony A65 advantages over Pentax K-S2

In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
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

510 vs 410 shots
Capture more photos
More viewfinder magnification
0.73x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
24.3 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
More AF points
15 vs 11
More AF points improve autofocus
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Sony A65

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$800 vs $1000 (MSRP)
Save money for lenses or accessories
Fast startup
~1.00 vs 2.8 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
More cross-type AF points
9 vs 3
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster shutter
1/6000 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

Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Tilt-swivel screen
Both provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
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
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
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
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A65 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-S2 User Reviews

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Body Only
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Buy the Pentax K-S2

Body Only (White)

Body Only (White)
Body Only (Black)
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)

All K-S2 Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t reviewed the Sony A65.
Read our Sony A65 Initial Test

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

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D3200

Sony A65

Nikon D3200

$798
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$477
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A65 vs Nikon D3200

Pentax K-S2

Nikon D3200

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$477
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon D3200

Compared to Nikon D5200

Sony A65

Nikon D5200

$798
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A65 vs Nikon D5200

Pentax K-S2

Nikon D5200

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$590
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon D5200

Compared to Sony A58

Sony A65

Sony A58

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in GPS

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Sony A65 vs Sony A58

Pentax K-S2

Sony A58

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Lens selection

$598
APS-C

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A58

Compared to Pentax K-500

Sony A65

Pentax K-500

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-camera panoramas

$597
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A65 vs 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

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Sony A65

Pentax K-S1

$798
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-camera panoramas

$502
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A65 vs 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

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