Sony DSLR-A230 vs Pentax K-1 II

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Sony DSLR-A230 vs Pentax K-1 II

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APS-C 369.7mm²
10.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 3200

Go in depth with our full Sony DSLR-A230 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the DSLR-A230.

35mm 861.6mm²
36.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 819,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-1 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-1 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-1 II.
Compare Pentax K-1 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-1 II conclusion.

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Differences

Sony DSLR-A230 advantages over Pentax K-1 II

Bigger pixels
~ 6.12 vs 4.88 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.60 vs 1.4 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Lighter weight
725g vs 1010g
Lighter weight

Pentax K-1 II advantages over Sony DSLR-A230

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
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

670 vs 510 shots
Capture more photos
More telephoto lens reach
105 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
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 1
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
Pentaprism viewfinder
Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
Newer
7 years vs 16 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
More dots on screen
1037k vs 230k dots
Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
Shoots 1080p video
Yes vs No
You'll want this if you shoot video
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.55x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
36.4 vs 10.2 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
More AF points
33 vs 9
More AF points improve autofocus
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
4.5 fps vs 2.4 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
77 vs 21 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
819200 vs 3200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

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
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
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
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 K-1 II User Reviews

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Buy the Sony DSLR-A230

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Body Only
Kit with 28-105mm Lens

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Review Excerpt

Read our Sony DSLR-A230 Review

Excellent build and comfortable handling; Bright, roomy viewfinder and articulated LCD; Great image quality; Good performance for the class; In-camera stabilization, GPS and Wi-Fi; Incredibly feature-rich design.
Bulkier than APS-C DSLRs; Top ISOs are for the spec sheet, not the real world; JPEGs are a bit punchy by default; Slow startup; Below-average battery life; Only a relatively modest update to the K-1.
Read our Pentax K-1 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon XS

Sony DSLR-A230

Canon XS

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Larger sensor

$440
APS-C

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony DSLR-A230 vs Canon XS

Pentax K-1 II

Canon XS

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$440
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Canon XS

Compared to Sony DSLR-A330

Sony DSLR-A230

Sony DSLR-A330

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
More viewfinder magnification

$530
APS-C

Tiltable Screen

Compare Sony DSLR-A230 vs Sony DSLR-A330

Pentax K-1 II

Sony DSLR-A330

$1747
35mm

Lens selection
Focus peaking

$530
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Sony DSLR-A330

Compared to Nikon D3000

Sony DSLR-A230

Nikon D3000

$549
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
HDMI out

$450
APS-C

Lens selection
Faster JPEG shooting

Compare Sony DSLR-A230 vs Nikon D3000

Pentax K-1 II

Nikon D3000

$1747
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$450
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Nikon D3000

Compared to Canon 5D Mark IV

Sony DSLR-A230

Canon 5D Mark IV

$549
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Internal flash

$2249
35mm

Lens selection
Larger sensor

Compare Sony DSLR-A230 vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Pentax K-1 II

Canon 5D Mark IV

$1747
35mm

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$2249
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Canon 5D Mark IV

Compared to Nikon D850

Sony DSLR-A230

Nikon D850

$549
APS-C

In-Camera Image Stabilization
Bigger pixels

$2464
35mm

Lens selection
Focus peaking

Compare Sony DSLR-A230 vs Nikon D850

Pentax K-1 II

Nikon D850

$1747
35mm

In-Camera Image Stabilization
High resolution composite

$2464
35mm

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-1 II vs Nikon D850

Compare Other Cameras?