Pentax K-3 II vs K-3 III

The Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III are two enthusiast cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2015 and March 2021. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The K-3 II has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the K-3 III provides 25.6 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		Pentax K-3 III
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Pentax K mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200		ISO 100-160,000
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1037k dots		3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
8.3 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
720 shots per battery charge		800 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g		135 x 104 x 74 mm, 820 g

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check K-3 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III? 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 Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Both cameras are available in two different colors (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-3 III is notably larger (7 percent) than the Pentax K-3 II. Moreover, the K-3 III is slightly heavier (2 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.

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.		Pentax K-3 III	135 mm	104 mm	74 mm	820 g	800	Y	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	140 mm	97 mm	86 mm	673 g	310	Y	Feb 2018	1,899	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D7200	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	1110	Y	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
9.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		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

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 K-3 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 45 percent) than the K-3 III, 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 more expensive and 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 K-3 III is 2 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Technology-wise, the K-3 III uses a more advanced image processing engine (PRIME V) than the K-3 II (PRIME III), with benefits for noise reduction, color accuracy, and processing speed.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the K-3 III offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24.1 MP of the K-3 II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 3.90μm for the K-3 II). However, it should be noted that the K-3 III is much more recent (by 5 years and 11 months) than the K-3 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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.

Both cameras have the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting the 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 Pentax K-3 III are ISO 100 to ISO 160000 (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.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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.		Pentax K-3 III	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2083	85
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1806	82
4.		Nikon D7200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.5	14.6	1333	87
5.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
6.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
7.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
8.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
9.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
10.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
11.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
12.		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 can also record movies. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the K-3 III provides a better video resolution than the K-3 II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the K-3 II 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 K-3 III 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-3 III has a higher magnification than the one of the K-3 II (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 Pentax K-3 II and Pentax K-3 III 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.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
2.		Pentax K-3 III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	3690	Y	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
4.		Nikon D7200	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
5.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
6.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
12.		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 differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The K-3 III 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 Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III 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 K-3 II and the K-3 III write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The K-3 III supports UHS-II cards (on its first slot), while the K-3 II can use UHS-I cards.

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 Pentax K-3 III 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.		Pentax K-3 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
4.		Nikon D7200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
6.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the K-3 III offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the K-3 II 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 both cameras feature internal geolocalization sensors and can record GPS coordinates in their EXIF data.

The K-3 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the K-3 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the K-3 II was succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III. Further information on the features and operation of the K-3 II and K-3 III can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-3 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-3 III Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Pentax K-3 II:

• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (45 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in April 2015).

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-3 III:

• Better jpgs: Has a more modern image processing engine (PRIME V vs PRIME III).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.63x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1620k vs 1037k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 8.3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 720) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 11 months of technical progress since the K-3 II launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-3 III is the clear winner of the contest (11 : 2 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 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 Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-3 III 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 K-3 II or the K-3 III. 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.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-3 III	4/5	..	3/5	..	4.5/5	..	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Fujifilm X-H1	..	+	5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,899	ebay.com
4.		Nikon D7200	4/5	+ +	..	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Mar 2015	1,199	ebay.com
5.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
6.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
7.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
9.		Pentax KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		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.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check K-3 III price at
amazon.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 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.

~

Check K-3 II offers at
ebay.com
Check K-3 III price at
amazon.com

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