Sony A77 II vs Pentax K-3 III

Cameras
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Sony A77 II vs Pentax K-3 III

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APS-C 366.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A77 II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A77 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A77 II.
Compare Sony A77 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A77 II conclusion.

APS-C 361.2mm²
25.7 megapixels
ISO 100 - 1,600,000

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 III Review.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 III.

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Differences

Sony A77 II advantages over Pentax K-3 III

Less expensive
$1798 vs $2344
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash

Pentax K-3 III advantages over Sony A77 II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
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

800 vs 480 shots
Capture more photos
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 15
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Newer
4 years vs 10 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Higher-res screen
540k vs 307k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
1.05x vs 0.73x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
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
Higher extended ISO
1600000 vs 51200 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
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
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

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

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Adorama
Read A77 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 III User Reviews

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Body Only
Kit with 16-50mm Lens

All A77 II Deals

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Buy the Pentax K-3 III

Body Only

Body Only
Kit with 20-40mm F2.8-4 Lens
Kit with 55-300mm f/4.5-6.3 Lens

All K-3 III Deals

Review Excerpt

Excellent image quality, especially lower ISOs; Improved high ISO performance when using RAW; Very good dynamic range; High-resolution images; Very fast single-shot autofocus; 12fps burst mode with C-AF; Good value for its class.
Lackluster continuous AF performance; Strong NR processing in high ISO JPEGs; Sluggish buffer clearing; Short battery life compared to most DSLRs; Joystick control easy to press accidentally.
Read our Sony A77 II Review

We haven’t finished our review of the Pentax K-3 III, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Pentax K-3 III First Shots

The Competition

Compared to Canon 70D

Sony A77 II

Canon 70D

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 II vs Canon 70D

Pentax K-3 III

Canon 70D

$1847
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon 70D

Compared to Canon 7D Mark II

Sony A77 II

Canon 7D Mark II

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$1597
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A77 II vs Canon 7D Mark II

Pentax K-3 III

Canon 7D Mark II

$1847
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1597
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon 7D Mark II

Compared to Nikon D7200

Sony A77 II

Nikon D7200

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1097
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A77 II vs Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3 III

Nikon D7200

$1847
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1097
APS-C

Less expensive
NFC

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Pentax KP

Sony A77 II

Pentax KP

$1198
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
In-camera panoramas

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 II vs Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 III

Pentax KP

$1847
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Less expensive
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Pentax KP

Compared to Canon 90D

Sony A77 II

Canon 90D

$1198
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1099
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A77 II vs Canon 90D

Pentax K-3 III

Canon 90D

$1847
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1099
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon 90D

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