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Pentax K-3 II Comparison Review

The Pentax K-3 II is a DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) camera that was revealed to the public in April 2015 and is equipped with an APS-C sensor. It offers a resolution of 24.1 megapixel.

camera

Is the Pentax K-3 II a good camera? The K-3 II has a Camera Elo of 2248. This rating puts the K-3 II among the top 20 percent of all digital single lens reflex cameras. In terms of its sensor size category (APS cameras), the K-3 II ranks among the top 40 percent. Based on its within category standings, the camera earns a 4-star performance rating.

Headline Specifications
Pentax K-3 II
Digital single lens reflex
Pentax K mount lenses
24.1 MP, APS-C Sensor
1080/60i Video
ISO 100 - 51 200
Optical viewfinder
3.2 LCD, 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8.3 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body
720 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g

Read on to find out more about the camera's size, sensor, features, reception by expert reviewers, and how it compares to other digital cameras.

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Body comparison with a credit card

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size of the Pentax K-3 II vis-à-vis a credit card. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Pentax K-3 II vs credit card front
K-3 II versus credit card top view
K-3 II and credit card rear side

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the Pentax K-3 II alongside a set of similar cameras. If you want to review a particular camera pair side-by-side, just move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible comparisons there.

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Body Specifications
#   Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Pentax K-3 III 135 mm 104 mm 74 mm 820 g 800 Y Mar 2021 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Pentax KP 132 mm 101 mm 76 mm 703 g 390 Y Jan 2017 1,099ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-70 126 mm 93 mm 74 mm 688 g 410 Y Jun 2016 649 amazon.com
6.
 
Pentax K-S2 123 mm 91 mm 73 mm 678 g 410 Y Feb 2015 749ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-S1 121 mm 93 mm 70 mm 558 g 410 n Aug 2014 749ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax K-5 II 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2012 1,099ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-5 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2010 1,099ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 1,199ebay.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 listed prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Pentax K-3 II was launched in the US market at a price of $1,099. 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.

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Sensor comparison with a 35mm slide

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 are more costly to manufacture and tent to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

The Pentax K-3 II features an APS-C sensor and has a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the Pentax K-3 II among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability.

Pentax K-3 II sensor measures

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for most cameras. 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 alternative cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
#   Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
2.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
3.
 
Pentax K-3 III APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/30p24.213.7208385
4.
 
Pentax KP APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.913.2169981
5.
 
Pentax K-70 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i23.813.1163980
6.
 
Pentax K-S2 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.612.9151479
7.
 
Pentax K-S1 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.513.0106178
8.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
9.
 
Pentax K-5 II APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.814.1123582
10.
 
Pentax K-5 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.714.1116282
11.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.
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Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The K-3 II indeed provides movie recording capabilities. The highest resolution format that the K-3 II can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the K-3 II has an optical viewfinder that provides a field of view of 100% and a magnification of 0.63x. The adjacent tables list some of the other core features of the Pentax K-3 II along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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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.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
2.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
3.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
4.
 
Pentax KPoptical n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/6000s 7.0/s Y Y
5.
 
Pentax K-70optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
6.
 
Pentax K-S2optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
7.
 
Pentax K-S1optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
8.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
9.
 
Pentax K-5 IIoptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Pentax K-5optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.
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One useful feature of the K-3 II is a presence of a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

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Connection 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 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
#   Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
2.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
3.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
4.
 
Pentax KPYstereo / monoY--2.0Y--
5.
 
Pentax K-70Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
6.
 
Pentax K-S2Ymono / monoY-micro2.0YY-
7.
 
Pentax K-S1Ystereo / mono--micro2.0---
8.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
9.
 
Pentax K-5 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Pentax K-5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
11.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
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It is notable that the K-3 II has a microphone port. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Further information on the features and operation of the K-3 II can be found in the free online Pentax K-3 II Manual or on the Pentax support site.

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Expert reviews

While the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says nothing about, for example, the handling, responsiveness, and overall imaging quality of the K-3 II in practical situations. 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. This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below summarizes the assessments of some of the best known camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]).

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Review Scores
#    Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price (USD)
Street
Price
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 1,099ebay.com
2.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 1,199ebay.com
3.
 
Pentax K-3 III4/5..3/5..4.5/5.. Mar 2021 1,999 amazon.com
4.
 
Pentax KP4/5..3/582/1005/54.5/5 Jan 2017 1,099ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-704.5/5..4/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2016 649 amazon.com
6.
 
Pentax K-S24.5/5......5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 749ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-S14/5......4.5/54/5 Aug 2014 749ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 1,299ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax K-5 II5/5....80/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 1,099ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-54/5....83/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2010 1,099ebay.com
11.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 1,199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.
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The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date 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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Pentax K-3 II FAQ

Below are some additional questions and answers concerning some particular features of the K-3 II.

What is the technology behind the imaging sensor in the Pentax K-3 II?

The camera has a CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensor at its core.

Which image processing chip is used in the Pentax K-3 II to convert the raw signal into an image file and perform noise reduction and image sharpening?

Pentax equipped the K-3 II with the PRIME III image processor.

What is the ISO sensitivity range of the Pentax K-3 II?

The camera has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200.

What is the life expectancy of the shutter in the Pentax K-3 II?

Pentax mentions a shutter rating of 200 000 actuations for the K-3 II. This number represents a Mean Time before Failure, that is an average value. The shutter might fail earlier, or it might last longer. Anyway, in order to exhaust the expected shutter life of the K-3 II over, say, three years, one would have to take about 200 pictures each and every day.

How do I find the shutter count on my Pentax K-3 II?

Pentax embeds the number of shutter actuations in image metadata. You can check the number of shots that your K-3 II has taken up to now by uploading a recent image to the free online shutter count finder app.

Do I need to purchase an external camera trigger to shoot time-lapse sequences with the Pentax K-3 II?

No, the Pentax K-3 II has an intervalometer built-in, so that low frequency shooting (for example, flower blooming, sunset, moon rise) can be undertaken without the need to purchase a separate external intervalometer and related software.

Is it difficult to use manual focus lenses with the Pentax K-3 II?

The K-3 II offers focus peaking as a manual focus aid. This feature works by placing a colored highlight on in-focus zones within the image.

Does the Pentax K-3 II feature an autofocus assist light?

Yes, the camera has a lamp built-in that can illuminate the subject and improve autofocus in low-light settings.

What is the fastest shutter speed that can be used with the Pentax K-3 II for flash photography?

The K-3 II's flash sync speed is 1/180 sec.

Does the Pentax K-3 II support the Ultra High Speed (UHS) bus interface for SD cards?

Yes, the camera can indeed use UHS-I cards (data transfer speed of up to 104 MB/s).

Which battery does the Pentax K-3 II use?

The camera gets its power from the D-LI90 (here at amazon), which is a rechargeable Lithium-Ion power pack.

Is there a vertical grip available for the Pentax K-3 II?

Yes, Pentax offers the D-BG5 as an optional accessory to facilitate shooting in portrait orientation and to provide additional battery power.

Does the Pentax K-3 II support geotagging?

The K-3 II has a built-in GPS (Global Positioning System) module and can embed location information in the EXIF data of the captured image.

Camera to camera comparisons

In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities with other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications Summary
    Camera Model Pentax K-3 II
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Pentax K mount lenses
    Launch Date April 2015
    Launch Price USD 1 099
    Sensor Specs
    Sensor Technology CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 367 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24.1 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6 016 x 4 000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.90 μm
    Pixel Density 6.56 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51 200 ISO
    Image Processor 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
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View
    LCD Size 3.2 inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen
    Touch Input No touchscreen
    Shooting Specs
    Focus System Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus Peaking
    Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 8.3 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations
    Silent Shootingno E-Shutter
    Time Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer Built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs
    External Flash Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi
    Geotagging GPS built-in
    Body Specs
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed body
    Battery Type D-LI90 power pack
    Battery Life (CIPA)720 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 131 x 100 x 77 mm
    (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 in)
    Camera Weight 800 g (28.2 oz)

    Did you notice an error on this page? If so, please get in touch, so that we can correct the information.

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