Pentax K-3 vs Fujifilm X-T2

The Pentax K-3 and the Fujifilm X-T2 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in October 2013 and July 2016. The K-3 is a DSLR, while the X-T2 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the Fujifilm provides 24 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		Fujifilm X-T2
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Pentax K mount lenses		Fujifilm X mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200		ISO 200-12,800 (100 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder		Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)
3.2" LCD – 1037k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
8.3 shutter flaps per second		8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
560 shots per battery charge		340 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g		133 x 92 x 49 mm, 507 g

Check K-3 offers at
ebay.com
Check X-T2 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-3 and the Fujifilm X-T2? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Pentax K-3 and the Fujifilm X-T2 is provided 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 width, height and depth measures 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 Fujifilm X-T2 is notably smaller (7 percent) than the Pentax K-3. Moreover, the X-T2 is substantially lighter (37 percent) than the K-3. 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 gets 560 shots out of its Pentax D-LI90 battery, while the X-T2 can take 340 images on a single charge of its Fujifilm NP-W126S power pack. The power pack in the X-T2 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

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.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	133 mm	92 mm	49 mm	507 g	340	Y	Jul 2016	1,599	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X100V	128 mm	75 mm	53 mm	478 g	420	Y	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	497 g	440	Y	Oct 2019	1,799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	133 mm	93 mm	59 mm	539 g	390	Y	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	141 mm	83 mm	46 mm	495 g	350	Y	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T1	129 mm	90 mm	47 mm	440 g	350	Y	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7100	136 mm	107 mm	76 mm	765 g	950	Y	Feb 2013	1,199	ebay.com
9.		Pentax KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	599	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	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	732 g	470	Y	Aug 2011	1,399	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 listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The K-3 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 19 percent) than the X-T2, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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 imaging sensor is a crucial determinant 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 associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. 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.

Despite having a slightly smaller sensor, the Pentax K-3 offers a higher resolution of 24.1 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the Fujifilm X-T2. 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 3.90μm versus 3.92μm for the X-T2). Moreover, it should be noted that the X-T2 is much more recent (by 2 years and 9 months) than the K-3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. 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 X-T2 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Pentax K-3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Fujifilm X-T2 are ISO 200 to ISO 12800, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Like most digital cameras, the K-3 uses a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. In contrast, the X-T2 employs a more randomized X-Trans layout of photosites, which according to Fujifilm helps to minimize moiré.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. 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.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	23.8	13.1	1653	81
3.		Fujifilm X100V	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.2	13.6	1996	84
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1968	84
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	APS-C	26.0	6240	4160	4K/60p	24.0	13.4	1853	83
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.0	1608	80
7.		Fujifilm X-T1	APS-C	16.0	4896	3264	1080/60p	23.5	12.7	1426	77
8.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
9.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
10.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
11.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
12.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
13.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
14.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
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	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.0	13.2	801	78
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the X-T2 provides a better video resolution than the K-3. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the X-T2 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the K-3 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the X-T2 has a higher magnification than the one of the K-3 (0.77x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Pentax K-3 and Fujifilm X-T2 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	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
3.		Fujifilm X100V	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	3690	n	3.0 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	3690	n	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	n	n
7.		Fujifilm X-T1	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	n
8.		Nikon D7100	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Pentax KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
13.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/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	2359	Y	3.0 / 921	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 difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The K-3 has one, while the X-T2 does not. While the built-in flash of the K-3 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the X-T2 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Pentax K-3 and the Fujifilm X-T2 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 and the X-T2 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. The X-T2 supports UHS-II cards (on both slots), while the K-3 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 and Fujifilm X-T2 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	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
3.		Fujifilm X100V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Fujifilm X-T1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Nikon D7100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Pentax KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
11.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
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	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the K-3 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the X-T2 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

Both the K-3 and the X-T2 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-3 was replaced by the Pentax K-3 II, while the X-T2 was followed by the Fujifilm X-T3 . Further information on the features and operation of the K-3 and X-T2 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Fujifilm X-T2 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Pentax K-3 better than the Fujifilm X-T2 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Pentax K-3:

• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (560 versus 340) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (19 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in October 2013).

Reasons to prefer the Fujifilm X-T2:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60i).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.77x vs 0.63x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 293g or 37 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 9 months of technical progress since the K-3 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the X-T2 emerges as the winner of the match-up (12 : 9 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 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 Pentax K-3 and the Fujifilm X-T2 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings 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 incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the K-3 or the X-T2 perform in practice. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts 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	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
2.		Fujifilm X-T2	5/5	+ +	..	86/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2016	1,599	ebay.com
3.		Fujifilm X100V	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2020	1,399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-Pro3	4/5	+	4/5	85/100	4/5	..	Oct 2019	1,799	amazon.com
5.		Fujifilm X-T3	5/5	+ +	4.5/5	88/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2018	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Fujifilm X-Pro2	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	1,699	ebay.com
7.		Fujifilm X-T1	5/5	+ +	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	1,299	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D7100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	1,199	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-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	749	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	599	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	5/5	91/100	..	81/100	..	5/5	Aug 2011	1,399	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) 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? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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