Pentax KP vs Sony H200

The Pentax KP and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in January 2017 and January 2013. The KP is a DSLR, while the H200 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (KP) and a 1/2.3-inch (H200) sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 24.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 15.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Pentax KP		Sony H200
Digital single lens reflex		Fixed lens compact camera
Pentax K mount lenses		24-633mm f/3.1-5.9
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor		15.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60i Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-819,200		ISO 100-3,200
Optical viewfinder		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Tilting screen (no touchscreen)		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
7 shutter flaps per second		0.8 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens-based stabilization
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
390 shots per battery charge		240 shots per battery charge
132 x 101 x 76 mm, 703 g		123 x 83 x 87 mm, 530 g

Check KP offers at
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Check H200 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax KP and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200? 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 KP and the Sony H200 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The KP can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the H200 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 Sony H200 is notably smaller (23 percent) than the Pentax KP. It is worth mentioning in this context that the KP is splash and dust resistant, while the H200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the H200 has a lens built in, whereas the KP is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. 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.

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 KP	132 mm	101 mm	76 mm	703 g	390	Y	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	123 mm	83 mm	87 mm	530 g	240	n	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	120 mm	82 mm	92 mm	441 g	210	n	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	140 mm	97 mm	86 mm	673 g	310	Y	Feb 2018	1,899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B500	114 mm	78 mm	95 mm	541 g	600	n	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D7500	136 mm	104 mm	73 mm	720 g	950	Y	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
7.		Nikon L840	113 mm	78 mm	96 mm	538 g	590	n	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-3	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	560	Y	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3 II	131 mm	100 mm	77 mm	800 g	720	Y	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-3 III	135 mm	104 mm	74 mm	820 g	800	Y	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-S2	123 mm	91 mm	73 mm	678 g	410	Y	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77 II	143 mm	104 mm	81 mm	647 g	480	Y	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	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 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 H200 was launched at a lower price than the KP, despite having a lens built in. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Pentax KP features an APS-C sensor and the Sony H200 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the H200 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 5.6. The sensor in the KP has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the H200 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24.1MP, the KP offers a higher resolution than the H200 (15.2MP), but the KP nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 1.36μm for the H200) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the KP is a much more recent model (by 4 years) than the H200, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 resolution advantage of the Pentax KP implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the KP 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 Sony H200 are 25.9 x 14.7 inches or 65.8 x 37.2 cm for good quality, 20.7 x 11.7 inches or 52.7 x 29.8 cm for very good quality, and 17.3 x 9.8 inches or 43.9 x 24.8 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the H200, the KP 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 KP has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 819200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the KP is build around a CMOS sensor, while the H200 uses a CCD imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
2.		Sony H200	1/2.3	15.2	5184	2930	720/30p	19.9	11.2	529	44
3.		Canon SX520	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	20.1	11.5	672	46
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.0	13.3	1806	82
5.		Nikon B500	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.3	11.7	810	48
6.		Nikon D7500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.3	14.0	1483	86
7.		Nikon L840	1/2.3	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60i	20.2	11.6	721	47
8.		Pentax K-3	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.7	13.4	1216	80
9.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
10.		Pentax K-3 III	APS-C	25.6	6192	4128	4K/30p	24.2	13.7	2083	85
11.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
12.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
13.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
14.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
15.		Sony A77 II	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.4	13.4	1013	82
16.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
17.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the KP provides a higher video resolution than the H200. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60i, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the KP has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the H200 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Pentax KP and Sony H200 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 KP	optical	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/6000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony H200	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX520	none	n	3.0 / 461	fixed	n	1/2000s	1.6/s	Y	Y
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	3690	Y	3.0 / 1040	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	14.0/s	n	Y
5.		Nikon B500	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D7500	optical	Y	3.2 / 922	tilting	Y	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
7.		Nikon L840	none	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Pentax K-3	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	Y	Y
9.		Pentax K-3 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.3/s	n	Y
10.		Pentax K-3 III	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
11.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-S2	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony A77 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 KP 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 KP has 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 KP writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the H200 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The KP supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the H200 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 KP and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200 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 KP	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	-	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Sony H200	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon SX520	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.0	Y	-	-
5.		Nikon B500	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Nikon D7500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Nikon L840	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Pentax K-3	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
9.		Pentax K-3 II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
10.		Pentax K-3 III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
11.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Pentax K-S2	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A77 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the KP has a hotshoe, while the H200 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Both the KP and the H200 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Pentax and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the KP and H200 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax KP Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony H200 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Pentax KP better than the Sony H200 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Pentax KP:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24.1 vs 15.2MP) with a 21% higher linear resolution.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/60i vs 720/30p).
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/1500s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (7 vs 0.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Can take a variety of interchangeable lenses, including specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (390 versus 240) on a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the H200 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H200:

• Ready to shoot: Comes with an integrated lens, while the KP requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (123x83mm vs 132x101mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight even though it has a lens built in (unlike the KP).
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in January 2013).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the KP is the clear winner of the match-up (22 : 5 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 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 KP and the Sony H200 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the KP or the H200. 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 KP	4/5	..	3/5	82/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	1,099	ebay.com
2.		Sony H200	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2013	249	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX520	..	+	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jul 2014	399	ebay.com
4.		Fujifilm X-H1	..	+	5/5	86/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,899	ebay.com
5.		Nikon B500	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2016	299	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D7500	4.5/5	+ +	4.5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Apr 2017	1,299	amazon.com
7.		Nikon L840	..	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	299	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-3	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	5/5	Oct 2013	1,299	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-3 II	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	5/5	Apr 2015	1,099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-3 III	4/5	..	3/5	..	4.5/5	..	Mar 2021	1,999	amazon.com
11.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	1,099	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	1,099	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	649	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-S2	4.5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	749	ebay.com
15.		Sony A77 II	4/5	..	..	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	May 2014	1,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
17.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. 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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