Sony A7S vs Pentax K-3 II

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Sony A7S vs Pentax K-3 II

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35mm 847.3mm²
12.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 102,400

Go in depth with our full Sony A7S Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7S in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7S.
Compare Sony A7S image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7S conclusion.

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 Sony A7S II
Compare A7S vs A7S II

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

Compare SONY A7S II vs PENTAX K-3 III

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Differences

Sony A7S advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 8.40 vs 3.91 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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
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.
A7S test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

3,702 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
Thinner
48 mm vs 77 mm
Thinner
Lighter weight
507g vs 785g
Lighter weight
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Bigger RAW buffer
39 vs 22 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
409600 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Sony A7S

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$830 vs $1998
Save money for lenses or accessories
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 380 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
More pixels
24.4 vs 12.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

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
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
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
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 A7S User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Outstanding high ISO performance; excellent dynamic range; 4K video recording (via uncompressed HDMI); XAVC S option for HD video; Slightly improved battery life over A7/A7R; Built-in Wi-Fi & NFC connectivity.
4K video requires expensive external recorder; Sluggish startup time; Loud shutter; Silent Shooting mode hurts image quality; Lacks a built-in, pop-up flash; Limited selection of native Sony FE lenses.
Read our Sony A7S Review

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 Leica M-E (Typ 220)

Sony A7S

Leica M-E (Typ 220)

$1998
35mm

Lens selection
Less expensive

$7999
35mm

Thinner
More pixels

Compare Sony A7S vs Leica M-E (Typ 220)

Pentax K-3 II

Leica M-E (Typ 220)

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$7999
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Leica M-E (Typ 220)

Compared to Canon T6i

Sony A7S

Canon T6i

$1998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$699
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S 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 Sony A7S II

Sony A7S

Sony A7S II

$1998
35mm

Less expensive
Fast startup

$2398
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony A7S vs Sony A7S II

Pentax K-3 II

Sony A7S II

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

$2398
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A7S II

Compared to Leica M (Typ 262)

Sony A7S

Leica M (Typ 262)

$1998
35mm

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$4995
35mm

More pixels
Lacks anti-aliasing filter

Compare Sony A7S vs Leica M (Typ 262)

Pentax K-3 II

Leica M (Typ 262)

$830
APS-C

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$4995
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Leica M (Typ 262)

Compared to Pentax KP

Sony A7S

Pentax KP

$1998
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7S 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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