Canon 800D vs Pentax K-50

The Canon EOS 800D (called Canon T7i in some regions) and the Pentax K-50 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in February 2017 and June 2013. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 16.1 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon 800D		Pentax K-50
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Canon EF mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
24 MP – APS-C sensor		16.1 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600 (100 - 51,200)		ISO 100-51,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second		6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
600 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 76 mm, 532 g		130 x 97 x 71 mm, 650 g

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Check K-50 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS 800D and the Pentax K-50? 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 Canon 800D and the Pentax K-50 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-50 can be obtained in three different colors (black, red, white), while the 800D 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 Pentax K-50 is somewhat smaller (4 percent) than the Canon 800D. However, the K-50 is markedly heavier (22 percent) than the 800D. It is noteworthy in this context that the K-50 is splash and dust-proof, while the 800D does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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 800D gets 600 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the K-50 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI109 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 800D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	532 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	131 mm	100 mm	76 mm	540 g	600	n	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	555 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	132 mm	101 mm	78 mm	565 g	440	n	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
7.		Canon 850D	131 mm	103 mm	76 mm	515 g	800	n	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1300D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	485 g	500	n	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5600	124 mm	97 mm	70 mm	465 g	970	n	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-70	126 mm	93 mm	74 mm	688 g	410	Y	Jun 2016	US$ 649	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	US$ 549	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 naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The K-50 was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 20 percent) than the 800D, 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. 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 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 K-50 is 11 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 1.6 (800D) and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Canon 800D offers a higher resolution of 24 megapixels, compared with 16.1 MP of the Pentax K-50. 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 3.72μm versus 4.77μm for the K-50). However, it should be noted that the 800D is much more recent (by 3 years and 8 months) than the K-50, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently.

The resolution advantage of the Canon 800D implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the 800D for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Pentax K-50 are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The 800D has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS 800D has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600, which can be extended to ISO 100-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-50 are ISO 100 to ISO 51200 (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.		Canon 800D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.7	13.1	1586	80
2.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
3.		Canon 77D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.3	971	78
4.		Canon 200D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
5.		Canon 750D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.7	12.0	919	71
6.		Canon 760D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	12.0	915	70
7.		Canon 850D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	24.0	13.5	1873	83
8.		Canon 1300D	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.0	11.7	781	66
9.		Canon 2000D	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.6	11.9	1009	71
10.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
11.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
12.		Nikon D5600	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	14.0	1306	84
13.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
14.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
15.		Pentax K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
16.		Pentax K-70	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60i	23.8	13.1	1639	80
17.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
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 are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the 800D provides a higher frame rate than the K-50. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The 800D and the K-50 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 viewfinder in the K-50 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 800D (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the K-50 has a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.51x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Canon 800D, the Pentax K-50, and comparable 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.		Canon 800D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon 77D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon 200D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
5.		Canon 750D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
6.		Canon 760D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 850D	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	7.5/s	Y	n
8.		Canon 1300D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon 2000D	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D5600	optical	n	3.2 / 1037	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
13.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Pentax K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax K-70	optical	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Pentax K-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/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 800D has a touchscreen, while the K-50 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The Pentax K-50 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the 800D and the K-50 write their files to SDXC cards. The 800D supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the K-50 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 Canon EOS 800D and Pentax K-50 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.		Canon 800D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon 77D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon 200D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon 750D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon 760D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon 850D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon 1300D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon 2000D	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Nikon D5600	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax K-70	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the 800D has a microphone port, which is missing on the K-50. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the 800D and the K-50 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-50 was replaced by the Pentax K-70, while the 800D was followed by the Canon 850D. Further information on the features and operation of the 800D and K-50 can be found, respectively, in the Canon 800D Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-50 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon 800D and the Pentax K-50? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 800D:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP) with a 22% higher linear resolution.
• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/30p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 118g or 18 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (600 versus 410) on a single battery charge.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 8 months of technical progress since the K-50 launch.

Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-50:

• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.61x vs 0.51x).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More affordable: Was released into a lower priced segment (20 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2013).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the 800D is the clear winner of the match-up (15 : 8 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. 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 Canon 800D and the Pentax K-50 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 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 800D or the K-50. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon 800D	4.5/5	..	3.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 749	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Canon 77D	4.5/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon 200D	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	US$ 549	ebay.com
5.		Canon 750D	5/5	..	..	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 749	ebay.com
6.		Canon 760D	5/5	+	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
7.		Canon 850D	4/5	+	3/5	80/100	4/5	3.5/5	Feb 2020	US$ 749	ebay.com
8.		Canon 1300D	4/5	o	4/5	73/100	4/5	4/5	Mar 2016	US$ 449	ebay.com
9.		Canon 2000D	3/5	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 449	amazon.com
10.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
11.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	US$ 779	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D5600	4/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4/5	Nov 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
13.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
16.		Pentax K-70	4.5/5	..	4/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2016	US$ 649	ebay.com
17.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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

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