Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 7D II

The Pentax K-3 II and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2015 and September 2014. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 20 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Pentax K-3 II		Canon 7D II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Pentax K mount lenses		Canon EF mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		20 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200		ISO 100-16,000 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
8.3 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
720 shots per battery charge		670 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g		149 x 112 x 78 mm, 910 g

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check 7D Mark II offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-3 II and the Canon EOS 7D Mark 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 physical size and weight of the Pentax K-3 II and the Canon 7D II are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-3 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 7D Mark II 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 Canon 7D II is notably larger (27 percent) than the Pentax K-3 II. Moreover, the 7D Mark II is markedly heavier (14 percent) than the K-3 II. 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 K-3 II gets 720 shots out of its Pentax D-LI90 battery, while the 7D Mark II can take 670 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon T6i	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	117 mm	91 mm	69 mm	407 g	380	n	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	133 mm	100 mm	79 mm	580 g	440	n	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon 7D	148 mm	111 mm	74 mm	860 g	800	Y	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3 III	135 mm	104 mm	74 mm	820 g	800	Y	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The K-3 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 39 percent) than the 7D Mark 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. 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. 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 tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the 7D Mark II is 8 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.5 (K-3 II) and 1.6. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 24.1MP, the K-3 II offers a higher resolution than the 7D Mark II (20MP), but the K-3 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 4.10μm for the 7D Mark II). However, the K-3 II is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the 7D Mark II, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 Canon 7D II are 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm for good quality, 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm for very good quality, and 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 7D Mark II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the 7D Mark II, 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 Pentax K-3 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 7D Mark II are ISO 100 to ISO 16000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

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 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. Of the two cameras under review, the K-3 II has a notably higher overall DXO score than the 7D Mark II (overall score 10 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 1.2 bits higher color depth, 1.8 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
2.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
3.		Canon T6i	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
4.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
5.		Canon SL1	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.8	11.3	843	63
6.		Canon T5i	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	21.7	11.2	681	61
7.		Canon 7D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	854	66
8.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
9.		Pentax K-3 III	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2083	85
10.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
11.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
12.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
13.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
14.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
15.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
16.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
17.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
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 also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the 7D Mark II provides a faster frame rate than the K-3 II. It can shoot movie 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 K-3 II and the 7D Mark 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%), as well as the same magnification (0.63x). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Pentax K-3 II and Canon 7D II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
2.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
3.		Canon T6i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon SL1	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.9/s	Y	n
6.		Canon T5i	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 7D	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Pentax K-3 III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
10.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 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.

One feature that differentiates the K-3 II and the 7D Mark II is in-body image stabilization (IBIS). The K-3 II reduces the risk of handshake-induced blur with all attached lenses, while the 7D Mark II offers no blur reduction with lenses that themselves do not provide optical image stabilization.

The Pentax K-3 II and the Canon 7D 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 K-3 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the 7D Mark II uses Compact Flash or SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. 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 Pentax K-3 II and Canon EOS 7D Mark 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.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon T6i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Canon SL1	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon T5i	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 7D	Y	mono / -	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Pentax K-3 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
13.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

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 both cameras feature internal geolocalization sensors and can record GPS coordinates in their EXIF data.

Both the K-3 II and the 7D Mark 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 7D Mark II does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the K-3 II and 7D Mark II can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-3 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 7D II Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Pentax K-3 II or the Canon 7D II – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Advantages of the Pentax K-3 II:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24.1 vs 20MP) with a 10% higher linear resolution.
• 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: Scores markedly higher (10 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• Richer colors: Generates images with noticeably better colors (1.2 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (1.8 EV of extra DR).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More compact: Is smaller (131x100mm vs 149x112mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 110g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (39 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the 7D Mark II).

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 7D Mark II:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in September 2014).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-3 II is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 6 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 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Pentax K-3 II and the Canon 7D 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 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 K-3 II or the 7D Mark II. 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.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
3.		Canon T6i	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
4.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Canon SL1	4/5	+	..	78/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon T5i	..	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2013	649	ebay.com
7.		Canon 7D	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2009	1,699	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3 III	4/5	..	3/5	..	4.5/5	..	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
10.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
17.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. 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.

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check 7D Mark II offers at
ebay.com

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 a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

~

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check 7D Mark II offers at
ebay.com

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