Nikon D700 vs Pentax K-1

The Nikon D700 and the Pentax K-1 are two enthusiast cameras that were announced, respectively, in July 2008 and February 2016. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are equipped with a full frame sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12.1 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Nikon D700		Pentax K-1
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Nikon F mount lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
12.1 MP – Full Frame sensor		36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 200-6,400 (100 - 25,600)		ISO 100-204,800
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 922k dots		3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
8 shutter flaps per second		4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
Weathersealed body		Weathersealed body
1000 shots per battery charge		760 shots per battery charge
147 x 123 x 77 mm, 1074 g		137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g

Check D700 offers at
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Check K-1 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon D700 and the Pentax K-1? 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 Nikon D700 and the Pentax K-1 are illustrated 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.

The K-1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the D700 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-1 is notably smaller (17 percent) than the Nikon D700. Moreover, the K-1 is markedly lighter (6 percent) than the D700. 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 D700 gets 1000 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL3e battery, while the K-1 can take 760 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack.

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	Street Price
1.		Nikon D700	147 mm	123 mm	77 mm	1074 g	1000	Y	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	760	Y	Feb 2016	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D	152 mm	113 mm	75 mm	895 g	400	Y	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	151 mm	116 mm	76 mm	890 g	900	Y	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D3	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1300 g	4300	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3S	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1240 g	4200	Y	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3X	160 mm	157 mm	88 mm	1260 g	4400	Y	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D300	147 mm	114 mm	74 mm	925 g	1000	Y	Aug 2007	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D300S	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	938 g	950	Y	Jul 2009	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D500	147 mm	115 mm	81 mm	860 g	1240	Y	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D800	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D800E	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	1000 g	900	Y	Feb 2012	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D810	146 mm	123 mm	82 mm	980 g	1200	Y	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Df	144 mm	110 mm	67 mm	760 g	1400	Y	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-1 II	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	670	Y	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Apr 2021	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
17.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The K-1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 40 percent) than the D700, 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. 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 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 a full frame sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 36.2MP, the K-1 offers a higher resolution than the D700 (12.1MP), but the K-1 has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 8.43μm for the D700). Yet, the K-1 is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 7 months) than the D700, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-1 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon D700 are 21.3 x 14.2 inches or 54.1 x 36 cm for good quality, 17 x 11.3 inches or 43.2 x 28.8 cm for very good quality, and 14.2 x 9.4 inches or 36 x 24 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the D700, the K-1 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 Nikon D700 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 6400, which can be extended to ISO 100-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 are ISO 100 to ISO 204800 (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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under consideration, the K-1 offers substantially better image quality than the D700 (overall score 16 points higher). The advantage is based on 1.9 bits higher color depth, 2.4 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0.5 stops in additional low light sensitivity. 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.		Nikon D700	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2303	80
2.		Pentax K-1	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.4	14.6	3280	96
3.		Canon 5D	Full Frame	12.7	4368	2912	none	22.9	11.1	1368	71
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Full Frame	30.1	6720	4480	4K/30p	24.8	13.6	2995	91
5.		Nikon D3	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	none	23.5	12.2	2290	81
6.		Nikon D3S	Full Frame	12.1	4256	2832	720/24p	23.5	12.0	3253	82
7.		Nikon D3X	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	24.7	13.7	1992	88
8.		Nikon D300	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	none	22.1	12.0	679	67
9.		Nikon D300S	APS-C	12.2	4288	2848	720/24p	22.5	12.2	787	70
10.		Nikon D500	APS-C	20.7	5568	3712	4K/30p	24.0	14.0	1324	83
11.		Nikon D800	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.3	14.4	2853	95
12.		Nikon D800E	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/30p	25.6	14.3	2979	96
13.		Nikon D810	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60p	25.7	14.8	2853	97
14.		Nikon Df	Full Frame	16.2	4928	3280	none	24.6	13.1	3279	89
15.		Pentax K-1 II	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.1	14.0	2698	93
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
17.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The K-1 indeed provides for movie recording, while the D700 does not. The highest resolution format that the K-1 can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The D700 and the K-1 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-1 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the D700 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the D700 has a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.70x), 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 Nikon D700 and Pentax K-1 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.		Nikon D700	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	8.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-1	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
3.		Canon 5D	optical	Y	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	n	n
5.		Nikon D3	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
6.		Nikon D3S	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	11.0/s	n	n
7.		Nikon D3X	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
8.		Nikon D300	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	6.0/s	Y	n
9.		Nikon D300S	optical	Y	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
10.		Nikon D500	optical	Y	3.2 / 2359	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	n
11.		Nikon D800	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
12.		Nikon D800E	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	4.0/s	Y	n
13.		Nikon D810	optical	Y	3.2 / 1229	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	Y	n
14.		Nikon Df	optical	Y	3.2 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
15.		Pentax K-1 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	3686	n	3.0 / 2340	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	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 D700 has one, while the K-1 does not. While the built-in flash of the D700 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Nikon D700 and the Pentax K-1 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.

The D700 writes its imaging data to Compact Flash cards, while the K-1 uses SDXC cards. The K-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the D700 only has one slot.

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 Nikon D700 and Pentax K-1 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.		Nikon D700	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Pentax K-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 5D	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Nikon D3	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Nikon D3S	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D3X	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D300	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Nikon D300S	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Nikon D500	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	Y	Y
11.		Nikon D800	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
12.		Nikon D800E	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
13.		Nikon D810	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	Y	-	-
14.		Nikon Df	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Pentax K-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y

It is notable that the K-1 offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the D700 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 the K-1 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the D700 and the K-1 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The D700 was replaced by the Nikon D800, while the K-1 was followed by the Pentax K-1 II. Further information on the features and operation of the D700 and K-1 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon D700 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-1 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Nikon D700 or the Pentax K-1 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon D700:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.72x vs 0.70x).
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8 vs 4.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (1000 versus 760) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2008).

Advantages of the Pentax K-1:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 12.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 73%.
• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
• Better image quality: Scores substantially higher (16 points) in the DXO overall evaluation.
• Richer colors: Generates noticeably more natural colors (1.9 bits more color depth).
• More dynamic range: Captures a broader range of light and dark details (2.4 EV of extra DR).
• Better low-light sensitivity: Can shoot in dim conditions (0.5 stops ISO advantage).
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• More compact: Is smaller (137x110mm vs 147x123mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (40 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 7 months of technical progress since the D700 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the K-1 is the clear winner of the contest (19 : 6 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 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 Nikon D700 and the Pentax K-1 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 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 D700 or the K-1 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 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.		Nikon D700	..	89/100	..	+ +	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2008	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1	5/5	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
3.		Canon 5D	..	88/100	..	+ +	o	..	Aug 2005	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5D Mark IV	4.5/5	+ +	4/5	87/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2016	US$ 3 499	amazon.com
5.		Nikon D3	..	..	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 4 999	ebay.com
6.		Nikon D3S	5/5	..	..	89/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2009	US$ 5 199	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D3X	..	..	..	86/100	4/5	5/5	Dec 2008	US$ 7 999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D300	..	+ +	..	+ +	5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2007	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
9.		Nikon D300S	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2009	US$ 1 799	ebay.com
10.		Nikon D500	5/5	+ +	4.7/5	91/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2016	US$ 1 999	ebay.com
11.		Nikon D800	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	US$ 2 999	ebay.com
12.		Nikon D800E	..	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2012	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
13.		Nikon D810	5/5	..	5/5	86/100	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	US$ 3 299	ebay.com
14.		Nikon Df	4/5	..	..	81/100	4/5	4/5	Nov 2013	US$ 2 749	ebay.com
15.		Pentax K-1 II	..	..	4.5/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	US$ 1 999	amazon.com
16.		Sony A7R IIIA	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Apr 2021	US$ 3 199	amazon.com
17.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 3 199	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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