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Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax K-3 II

The Olympus PEN E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 II are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in September 2016 and April 2015. The E-PL8 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-3 II is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (E-PL8) and an APS-C (K-3 II) sensor. The Olympus has a resolution of 15.9 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
Olympus E-PL8
versus
Pentax K-3 II
Olympus E-PL8   Pentax K-3 II
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses Pentax K mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video 1080/60i Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600) ISO 100-51,200
Viewfinder optional Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1037k dots 3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Tilting touchscreen Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8 shutter flaps per second 8.3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
not weather sealedWeathersealed body
350 shots per battery charge720 shots per battery charge
115 x 67 x 38 mm, 357 g 131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g
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Check E-PL8 offers at
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Check K-3 II offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Olympus PEN E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 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.

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Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Olympus E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The E-PL8 can be obtained in three different colors (black, brown, white), while the K-3 II is available in two color-versions (black, silver).

Size Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax K-3 II
Compare E-PL8 versus K-3 II top
Comparison E-PL8 or K-3 II rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-3 II is considerably larger (70 percent) than the Olympus E-PL8. Moreover, the K-3 II is substantially heavier (124 percent) than the E-PL8. It is noteworthy in this context that the K-3 II is splash and dust-proof, while the E-PL8 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 E-PL8 gets 350 shots out of its Olympus BLS-50 battery, while the K-3 II can take 720 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. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
# image Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL8 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Sep 2016 549ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Oct 2019 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL9 117 mm 68 mm 39 mm 380 g 350 n Feb 2018 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M10 III 122 mm 84 mm 50 mm 410 g 330 n Aug 2017 649ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 II 120 mm 83 mm 47 mm 390 g 320 n Aug 2015 649ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 115 mm 67 mm 38 mm 357 g 350 n Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n May 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5 111 mm 64 mm 38 mm 325 g 360 n Sep 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 110 mm 64 mm 34 mm 269 g 360 n Sep 2012 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX85 122 mm 71 mm 44 mm 426 g 290 n Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G7 125 mm 86 mm 77 mm 410 g 350 n May 2015 649ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 III 135 mm 104 mm 74 mm 820 g 800 Y Mar 2021 1,999 amazon.com
15.
 
Pentax K-S2 123 mm 91 mm 73 mm 678 g 410 Y Feb 2015 749ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
17.
 
Pentax K-5 II 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2012 1,099ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 E-PL8 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the K-3 II, which puts it into a different market segment. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Olympus E-PL8 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Pentax K-3 II an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the K-3 II is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the E-PL8 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the K-3 II offers a 3:2 aspect.

Olympus E-PL8 and Pentax K-3 II sensor measures

With 24.1MP, the K-3 II offers a higher resolution than the E-PL8 (15.9MP), but the K-3 II nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 3.76μm for the E-PL8) due to its larger sensor. However, the E-PL8 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 4 months) than the K-3 II, and its sensor might 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-3 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-3 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-3 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30.1 x 20 inches or 76.4 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24.1 x 16 inches or 61.1 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20.1 x 13.3 inches or 50.9 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Olympus E-PL8 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the E-PL8, the K-3 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 Olympus PEN E-PL8 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-3 II are ISO 100 to ISO 51200 (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.

E-PL8 versus K-3 II MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
# image Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Olympus E-PL8 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.6103073
2.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
3.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.313.1132476
5.
 
Olympus E-PL9 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8116274
6.
 
Olympus E-M10 III Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.112.8112074
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.112.584273
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.487372
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.512.071768
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.812.388972
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p22.712.293272
12.
 
Panasonic GX85 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.912.666271
13.
 
Panasonic G7 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.490471
14.
 
Pentax K-3 III APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/30p24.213.7208385
15.
 
Pentax K-S2 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.612.9151479
16.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
17.
 
Pentax K-5 II APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.814.1123582
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the K-3 II provides a faster frame rate than the E-PL8. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60i, while the Olympus is limited to 1080/30p.

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Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the K-3 II has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the E-PL8 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the E-PL8 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the VF-4. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Olympus E-PL8 and Pentax K-3 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

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Core Features
# image 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.
 
Olympus E-PL8optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
2.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL9none n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M10 III2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.6/s Y Y
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 II2360 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7optional n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5optional n3.0 / 460 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2optional n3.0 / 460 fixed Y 1/4000s 8.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic GX852765 n3.0 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 8.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Panasonic G72360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
15.
 
Pentax K-S2optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
16.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
17.
 
Pentax K-5 IIoptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The E-PL8 has a touchscreen, while the K-3 II has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The E-PL8 has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the K-3 II does not have a selfie-screen.

The Olympus E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the E-PL8 and the K-3 II write their files to SDXC cards. The K-3 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the E-PL8 only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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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 Olympus PEN E-PL8 and Pentax K-3 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
# image Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Olympus E-PL8Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
2.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
3.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
5.
 
Olympus E-PL9Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y-Y
6.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 IIYstereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
8.
 
Olympus E-PL7Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
10.
 
Olympus E-PL5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
11.
 
Olympus E-PM2Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
12.
 
Panasonic GX85Ystereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
13.
 
Panasonic G7Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
15.
 
Pentax K-S2Ymono / monoY-micro2.0YY-
16.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
17.
 
Pentax K-5 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
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It is notable that the E-PL8 offers wifi support, while the K-3 II does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-3 II (unlike the E-PL8) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-3 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the E-PL8 and the K-3 II have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-3 II was replaced by the Pentax K-3 III, while the E-PL8 was followed by the Olympus E-PL9. Further information on the features and operation of the E-PL8 and K-3 II can be found, respectively, in the Olympus E-PL8 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-3 II Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Olympus E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 II? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

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Advantages of the Olympus PEN E-PL8:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • More compact: Is smaller (115x67mm vs 131x100mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 443g or 55 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.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 4 months after the K-3 II).

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Reasons to prefer the Pentax K-3 II:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24.1 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
  • 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: Features bigger pixels on a larger sensor for higher quality imaging.
  • Richer colors: The pixel size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger pixels capture a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger pixels means good image quality even under poor lighting.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60i versus 1080/30p).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • 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.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (720 versus 350) out of a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2015).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-3 II is the clear winner of the contest (21 : 10 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

E-PL8 10:21 K-3 II

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Olympus E-PL8 and the Pentax K-3 II 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 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 E-PL8 or the K-3 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
# image  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Olympus E-PL8........4.5/54/5 Sep 2016 549ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-PL10....4/577/100..4/5 Oct 2019 599ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-PL9..+....4.5/54/5 Feb 2018 599ebay.com
6.
 
Olympus E-M10 III..+5/580/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2017 649ebay.com
7.
 
Olympus E-M10 II4.5/5+ +..80/1005/55/5 Aug 2015 649ebay.com
8.
 
Olympus E-PL74/5+....5/54/5 Aug 2014 599ebay.com
9.
 
Olympus E-PL6............ May 2013 599ebay.com
10.
 
Olympus E-PL53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 599ebay.com
11.
 
Olympus E-PM23/5....77/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 499ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX854.5/5+ +..82/1005/55/5 Apr 2016 799 amazon.com
13.
 
Panasonic G74/5+ +3.5/580/1005/54.5/5 May 2015 649ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 III4/5..3/5..4.5/5.. Mar 2021 1,999 amazon.com
15.
 
Pentax K-S24.5/5......5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
17.
 
Pentax K-5 II5/5....80/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 1,099ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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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. 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. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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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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    Specifications: Olympus E-PL8 vs Pentax K-3 II

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Pentax K mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2016 April 2015
    Launch Price USD 549 USD 1,099
    Sensor Specs Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 366.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 24.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 6016 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 3.90 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 6.56 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/30p Video 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 6,400 ISO 100 - 51,200 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 25,600 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor TruePic VII PRIME III
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 80
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 23.6
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 13.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 1106
    Screen Specs Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    Viewfinder Type Viewfinder optional Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Tilting screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8 shutter flaps/s 8.3 shutter flaps/s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port no MIC socket External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in no Wifi
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Olympus E-PL8 Pentax K-3 II
    Environmental Sealingnot weather sealedWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Olympus BLS-50 Pentax D-LI90
    Battery Life (CIPA)350 shots per charge720 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 115 x 67 x 38 mm
    (4.5 x 2.6 x 1.5 in)
    131 x 100 x 77 mm
    (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 357 g (12.6 oz) 800 g (28.2 oz)
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