Fujifilm X-Pro2 vs Pentax K-3

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Pentax K-3 are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and October 2013. The X-Pro2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-3 is a DSLR. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Fujifilm has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 24.1 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Fujifilm X-Pro2		Pentax K-3
Mirrorless system camera		Digital single lens reflex
Fujifilm X mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1620k dots		3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second		8.3 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge		560 shots per battery charge
141 x 83 x 46 mm, 495 g		131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g

Check X-Pro2 offers at
ebay.com
Check K-3 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Pentax K-3? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Pentax K-3 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The X-Pro2 can be obtained in two different colors (black, graphite), while the K-3 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-3 is notably larger (12 percent) than the Fujifilm X-Pro2. Moreover, the K-3 is substantially heavier (62 percent) than the X-Pro2. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the X-Pro2 gets 350 shots out of its Fujifilm NP-W126 battery, while the K-3 can take 560 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A3	117 mm	67 mm	40 mm	339 g	410	n	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	140 mm	82 mm	43 mm	450 g	300	n	Jan 2012	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	1,799	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T1	129 mm	90 mm	47 mm	440 g	350	Y	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	1,599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Sony A77	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6500	120 mm	67 mm	53 mm	453 g	350	Y	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The K-3 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 24 percent) than the X-Pro2, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the K-3 offers a slightly higher resolution of 24.1 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the X-Pro2. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 3.92μm for the X-Pro2). Moreover, it should be noted that the X-Pro2 is much more recent (by 2 years and 3 months) than the K-3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The X-Pro2 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-3 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. The X-Pro2 uses Fujifilm's X-Trans layout of photosites, while the K-3 employs the more common Bayer array.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
2.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
3.		Fujifilm X-A3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	13.1	1664	81
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/24p	23.1	12.3	1238	74
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1968	84
6.		Fujifilm X-T1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.5	12.7	1426	77
7.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
8.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
9.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
10.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
11.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
12.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
13.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
14.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
15.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
16.		Sony A77	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
17.		Sony A6500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.5	13.7	1405	85
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the X-Pro2 provides a higher frame rate than the K-3. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-Pro2 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the K-3 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-3 has a higher magnification than the one of the X-Pro2 (0.63x vs 0.39x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Fujifilm X-Pro2, the Pentax K-3, and comparable cameras.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
2.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-A3	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	1440	n	3.0 / 1230	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X-T1	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
7.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
8.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
9.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
10.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
12.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
14.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony A77	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A6500	2359	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the K-3 and the X-Pro2 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-3 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the X-Pro2 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the X-Pro2 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Pentax K-3 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the X-Pro2 and the K-3 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The X-Pro2 supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the K-3 can use UHS-I cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and Pentax K-3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X-A3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-T1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
9.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
11.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony A77	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A6500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the X-Pro2 offers wifi support, while the K-3 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the X-Pro2 and the K-3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-3 was replaced by the Pentax K-3 II, while the X-Pro2 was followed by the Fujifilm X-Pro3. Further information on the features and operation of the X-Pro2 and K-3 can be found, respectively, in the Fujifilm X-Pro2 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-3 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Fujifilm X-Pro2 better than the Pentax K-3 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-Pro2:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1037k dots).
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More compact: Is smaller (141x83mm vs 131x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 305g or 38 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 3 months of technical progress since the K-3 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-3:

• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.39x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (560 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (24 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in October 2013).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the match-up finishes in a tie (11 points each). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Fujifilm X-Pro2 and the Pentax K-3 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the X-Pro2 or the K-3. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X-A3	..	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2016	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro1	5/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	1,699	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	1,799	amazon.com
6.		Fujifilm X-T1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	1,599	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,299	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	1,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Sony A77	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
17.		Sony A6500	5/5	+ +	3.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	1,399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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