Nikon D300 vs Pentax K-1 II

The Nikon D300 and the Pentax K-1 II are two enthusiast cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in August 2007 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on an APS-C (D300) and a full frame (K-1 II) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12.2 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D300		Pentax K-1 II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
12.2 MP – APS-C sensor		36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 200-3,200 (100 - 6,400)		ISO 100-819,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
6 shutter flaps per second		4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1000 shots per battery charge		670 shots per battery charge
147 x 114 x 74 mm, 925 g		137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g

Check D300 offers at
ebay.com
Check K-1 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D300 and the Pentax K-1 II? 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

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Nikon D300 and the Pentax K-1 II. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-1 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D300 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-1 II is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Nikon D300. However, the K-1 II is markedly heavier (9 percent) than the D300. 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 D300 gets 1000 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the K-1 II can take 670 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1 II	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	670	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Nikon D2X	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D2Xs	158 mm	150 mm	86 mm	1252 g	3800	Y	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D40X	124 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	520	n	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	126 mm	94 mm	64 mm	522 g	500	n	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D90	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	703 g	850	n	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D200	147 mm	113 mm	74 mm	920 g	400	Y	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	2,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7000	132 mm	105 mm	77 mm	780 g	1050	Y	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
14.		Pentax K-1	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	760	Y	Feb 2016	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The D300 was somewhat cheaper (by 10 percent) than the K-1 II at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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 size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon D300 features an APS-C sensor and the Pentax K-1 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the K-1 II is 131 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 36.2MP, the K-1 II offers a higher resolution than the D300 (12.2MP), but the K-1 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 5.53μm for the D300). Yet, the K-1 II is a much more recent model (by 10 years and 6 months) than the D300, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-1 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-1 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D300 are 21.4 x 14.2 inches or 54.5 x 36.2 cm for good quality, 17.2 x 11.4 inches or 43.6 x 28.9 cm for very good quality, and 14.3 x 9.5 inches or 36.3 x 24.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the D300, the K-1 II has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon D300 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 II are ISO 100 to ISO 819200 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
2.		Pentax K-1 II	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.1	14.0	2698	93
3.		Nikon D2X	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	10.9	476	59
4.		Nikon D2Xs	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.2	10.9	489	59
5.		Nikon D40X	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.4	11.4	516	63
6.		Nikon D60	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.5	11.4	562	65
7.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
8.		Nikon D90	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.7	12.5	977	73
9.		Nikon D200	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.3	11.5	583	64
10.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
11.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80
12.		Nikon D7000	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/24p	23.5	13.9	1167	80
13.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
14.		Pentax K-1	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.4	14.6	3280	96
15.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
17.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The K-1 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the D300 does not. The highest resolution format that the K-1 II can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The D300 and the K-1 II are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-1 II has a higher magnification than the one of the D300 (0.70x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon D300 and Pentax K-1 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-1 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
3.		Nikon D2X	optical	Y	2.5 / 235	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
4.		Nikon D2Xs	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D40X	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D60	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D90	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D200	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D7000	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
13.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
14.		Pentax K-1	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The D300 has one, while the K-1 II does not. While the built-in flash of the D300 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D300 and the Pentax K-1 II 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.

The D300 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the K-1 II uses SDXC cards. The K-1 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D300 only has one slot.

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 Nikon D300 and Pentax K-1 II 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.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Pentax K-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Nikon D2X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Nikon D2Xs	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Nikon D40X	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D60	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D90	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D200	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D7000	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
14.		Pentax K-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the K-1 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D300 does not provide wifi capability.

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

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-1 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The K-1 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the D300 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D300 was succeeded by the Nikon D300S. Further information on the features and operation of the D300 and K-1 II can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D300 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-1 II Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon D300 better than the Pentax K-1 II or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D300:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 4.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1000 versus 670) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2007).

Advantages of the Pentax K-1 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 12.2MP), which boosts linear resolution by 72%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.63x).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More modern: Reflects 10 years and 6 months of technical progress since the D300 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-1 II is the clear winner of the contest (17 : 5 points). 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 wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 Nikon D300 and the Pentax K-1 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D300 or the K-1 II. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	1,799	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1 II	..	..	4.5/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Nikon D2X	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2004	4,999	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D2Xs	..	..	..	..	..	..	Jun 2006	4,699	ebay.com
5.		Nikon D40X	..	79/100	..	+ +	4/5	4/5	Mar 2007	729	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D60	..	80/100	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2008	629	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D90	..	+ +	..	+ +	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2008	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D200	..	+ +	..	+ +	o	..	Nov 2005	1,699	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	1,799	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	2,999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D7000	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
14.		Pentax K-1	5/5	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check K-1 II price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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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