How much dynamic range does the Pentax K-3 offer?

According to measurements carried out by DXO Mark, the sensor in the Pentax K-3 provides a maximum of 13.4 EV of dynamic range (DR). DR is defined as the ratio between the highest and lowest brightness a camera can capture. A value of 12 EV or above is considered excellent.

High dynamic range of a camera sensor is particularly desirable for scenes with a mix of very bright and very dark parts, such as in some landscape photography settings. It helps to avoid that highlights get washed out or that detail in shadows is lost.

Sensor specs and performance

The table below compares the sensor specs of the Pentax K-3 to those of several similar cameras. The reported DXO values are indicators of the sensor's imaging quality (higher is better). In addition to dynamic range (DXO Landscape), the listing also covers color depth (DXO Portrait) and high-ISO noise (DXO Sports). Larger sensor cameras tend to outperform cameras of the same generation that are equipped with a smaller imager. On the other hand, larger sensors are more expensive and require bigger and heavier lenses than smaller light receptors.

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.		Nikon D7100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.2	13.7	1256	83
3.		Pentax K-3 II	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.6	13.6	1106	80
4.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
5.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
6.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
7.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
8.		Pentax KP	APS-C	24.1	6016	4000	1080/60i	23.9	13.2	1699	81
9.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
10.		Pentax K-S2	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.6	12.9	1514	79
11.		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.

In the United States, the K-3 was initially launched in October 2013 at a price of $1,299.

Check K-3 offers at
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Camera to camera comparisons

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