Sony RX100 III vs Pentax K-3 III

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Sony RX100 III vs Pentax K-3 III

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1 inch 116.2mm²
20.2 megapixels
24.00mm - 70.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Sony RX100 III Review.
How does it shoot? Sony RX100 III in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the RX100 III.
Compare Sony RX100 III image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony RX100 III 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 RX100 III advantages over Pentax K-3 III

Less expensive
$748* vs $2344
Save money for lenses or accessories
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Tiltable vs Fixed
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Integrated ND filter
Yes vs No
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Thinner
41 mm vs 73 mm
Thinner
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/200 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Lighter weight
287g vs 820g
Lighter weight
Bigger JPEG buffer
48 vs 30 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-3 III advantages over Sony RX100 III

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.76 vs 2.41 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
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 320 shots
Capture more photos
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
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
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More viewfinder magnification
1.05x vs 0.59x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
25.7 vs 20.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
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
12.0 fps vs 10.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
1600000 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
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
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review 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
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance

User reviews

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Read K-3 III User Reviews

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

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Review Excerpt

Pocket-friendly design; Popup electronic viewfinder; Bright lens across the zoom range; Great performance with very fast autofocus; Very high resolution gives lots of detail in good light; High ISO noise levels much better than most pocket camera rivals; Wi-Fi wireless networking
Feels a little unbalanced without an accessory grip; Not as much telephoto reach as its siblings; Noise processing is heavier-handed than in earlier models; Quite pricey for a fixed-lens camera
Read our Sony RX100 III 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 Sony RX100

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Tiltable Screen

$1074
1 inch

More telephoto lens reach
Faster RAW shooting

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100

Pentax K-3 III

Sony RX100

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$1074
1 inch

In-camera panoramas
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Sony RX100

Compared to Sony RX100 II

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100 II

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
Fast startup

$598
1 inch

Less expensive
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 II

Pentax K-3 III

Sony RX100 II

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$598
1 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Sony RX100 II

Compared to Canon G7X

Sony RX100 III

Canon G7X

$748
1 inch

Eye-level viewfinder
In-camera panoramas

$1239
1 inch

Touchscreen
More telephoto lens reach

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Canon G7X

Pentax K-3 III

Canon G7X

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Eye-level viewfinder

$1239
1 inch

Tiltable Screen
NFC

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Canon G7X

Compared to Panasonic LX100

Sony RX100 III

Panasonic LX100

$748
1 inch

Tiltable Screen
Internal flash

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Larger sensor

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Panasonic LX100

Pentax K-3 III

Panasonic LX100

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Touchscreen

$598
4/3

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Panasonic LX100

Compared to Sony RX100 IV

Sony RX100 III

Sony RX100 IV

$748
1 inch

$898
1 inch

Slower slow-motion
Shoot 4K video

Compare Sony RX100 III vs Sony RX100 IV

Pentax K-3 III

Sony RX100 IV

$1847
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

$898
1 inch

In-camera panoramas
Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Sony RX100 IV

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