Nikon D3400 vs Pentax K-70

The Nikon D3400 and the Pentax K-70 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2016 and June 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 24 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D3400		Pentax K-70
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-102,400
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
5 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
1200 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
124 x 98 x 76 mm, 445 g		126 x 93 x 74 mm, 688 g

Check D3400 offers at
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Check K-70 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D3400 and the Pentax K-70? 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 D3400 and the Pentax K-70. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The D3400 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the K-70 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-70 is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Nikon D3400. However, the K-70 is substantially heavier (55 percent) than the D3400. It is noteworthy in this context that the K-70 is splash and dust-proof, while the D3400 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 D3400 gets 1200 shots out of its EN-EL14a battery, while the K-70 can take 410 images on a single charge of its D-LI109 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

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 D3400	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	445 g	1200	n	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	415 g	1550	n	Aug 2018	429	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	699	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D5500	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	470 g	820	n	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3300	124 mm	98 mm	76 mm	430 g	700	n	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5300	125 mm	98 mm	76 mm	480 g	600	n	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3200	125 mm	96 mm	77 mm	505 g	540	n	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	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 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 D3400 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 23 percent) than the K-70, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 24 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the D3400 and the K-70 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. Moreover, the two cameras were released in close succession, so that their sensors are from the same technological generation. 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 K-70 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the D3400, the K-70 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 D3400 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-70 are ISO 100 to ISO 102400 (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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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 D3400	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.8	13.9	1192	86
2.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Nikon D3500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.4	1851	83
7.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
8.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
9.		Nikon D5500	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1438	84
10.		Nikon D3300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.3	12.8	1385	82
11.		Nikon D5300	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.9	1338	83
12.		Nikon D3200	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/30p	24.1	13.2	1131	81
13.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
14.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
15.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
16.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
17.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
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 two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the D3400 provides a higher frame rate than the K-70. 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 variety of features. The D3400 and the K-70 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 viewfinder in the K-70 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D3400 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the K-70 has a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.57x), 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 D3400 and Pentax K-70 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 D3400	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Nikon D3500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D5500	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D3300	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
11.		Nikon D5300	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	n	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D3200	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
16.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
Notes: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that differentiates the K-70 and the D3400 is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-70 reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the D3400 offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The Pentax K-70 has 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 D3400 and the K-70 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 D3400 and Pentax K-70 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 D3400	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
2.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D3500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	Y
7.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
9.		Nikon D5500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Nikon D3300	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Nikon D5300	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Nikon D3200	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the K-70 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D3400 does not provide wifi capability.

The K-70 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the D3400 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the D3400 was succeeded by the Nikon D3500. Further information on the features and operation of the D3400 and K-70 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D3400 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-70 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D3400 or the Pentax K-70 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Nikon D3400:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 243g or 35 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1200 versus 410) on a single battery charge.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (23 percent cheaper at launch).

Advantages of the Pentax K-70:

• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.63x vs 0.57x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (6 vs 5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-70 is the clear winner of the contest (13 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 Nikon D3400 and the Pentax K-70 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the D3400 or the K-70. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.		Nikon D3400	4/5	+	4/5	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	499	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	amazon.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3500	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	429	amazon.com
7.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
8.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	699	amazon.com
9.		Nikon D5500	5/5	+	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2015	899	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D3300	3/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2014	499	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D5300	4/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	799	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D3200	5/5	+ +	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2012	599	ebay.com
13.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	599	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
Notes: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make your choice using the following search menu. 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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