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Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A5100

The Pentax K-3 II and the Sony Alpha A5100 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in April 2015 and August 2014. The K-3 II is a DSLR, while the A5100 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 Sony 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 II
versus
Sony A5100
Pentax K-3 II   Sony A5100
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Pentax K mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
24.1 MP – APS-C sensor 24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60i Video 1080/60p Video
ISO 100-51,200 ISO 100-25,600
Optical viewfinder No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.2" LCD – 1037k dots 3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Tilting touchscreen
8.3 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
Weathersealed bodynot weather sealed
720 shots per battery charge400 shots per battery charge
131 x 100 x 77 mm, 800 g 110 x 63 x 36 mm, 283 g
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Check A5100 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-3 II and the Sony Alpha A5100? 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.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Pentax K-3 II and the Sony A5100. 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 measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-3 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the A5100 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, white).

Size Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A5100
Compare K-3 II versus A5100 top
Comparison K-3 II or A5100 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A5100 is considerably smaller (47 percent) than the Pentax K-3 II. Moreover, the A5100 is substantially lighter (65 percent) than the K-3 II. It is worth mentioning in this context that the K-3 II is splash and dust resistant, while the A5100 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 K-3 II gets 720 shots out of its Pentax D-LI90 battery, while the A5100 can take 400 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the A5100 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A5100 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 283 g 400 n Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D7200 136 mm 107 mm 76 mm 765 g 1110 Y Mar 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
4.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-3 III 135 mm 104 mm 74 mm 820 g 800 Y Mar 2021 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Pentax K-5 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2010 US$ 1 099ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-5 II 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2012 US$ 1 099ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-70 126 mm 93 mm 74 mm 688 g 410 Y Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax KP 132 mm 101 mm 76 mm 703 g 390 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-S1 121 mm 93 mm 70 mm 558 g 410 n Aug 2014 US$ 749ebay.com
11.
 
Pentax K-S2 123 mm 91 mm 73 mm 678 g 410 Y Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A77 II 143 mm 104 mm 81 mm 647 g 480 Y May 2014 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A3000 128 mm 91 mm 85 mm 411 g 470 n Aug 2013 US$ 329ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A5000 110 mm 63 mm 36 mm 269 g 420 n Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A6000 120 mm 67 mm 45 mm 344 g 360 n Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Sony NEX-3 117 mm 62 mm 33 mm 297 g 330 n May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
17.
 
Sony NEX-3N 110 mm 62 mm 35 mm 269 g 480 n Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. 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 A5100 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the K-3 II, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants 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. 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 1.5. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the medium-sized sensor cameras that aim to strike a balance between image quality and portability. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Pentax K-3 II and Sony A5100 sensor measures

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the K-3 II offers a slightly higher resolution of 24.1 megapixels, compared with 24 MP of the A5100. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.3 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the K-3 II has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.90μm versus 3.91μm for the A5100). In this context, it should be noted, however, that the K-3 II is a somewhat more recent model (by 8 months) than the A5100, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-3 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The A5100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the A5100, the K-3 II 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 K-3 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A5100 are ISO 100 to ISO 25600 (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.

K-3 II versus A5100 MP

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 Overall DXO ratings for the two cameras under consideration are close, suggesting that they provide similar imaging performance. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
2.
 
Sony A5100 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.812.7134780
3.
 
Nikon D7200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.514.6133387
4.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
5.
 
Pentax K-3 III APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/30p24.213.7208385
6.
 
Pentax K-5 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.714.1116282
7.
 
Pentax K-5 II APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.814.1123582
8.
 
Pentax K-70 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i23.813.1163980
9.
 
Pentax KP APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.913.2169981
10.
 
Pentax K-S1 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.513.0106178
11.
 
Pentax K-S2 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.612.9151479
12.
 
Sony A77 II APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.413.4101382
13.
 
Sony A3000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.712.8106878
14.
 
Sony A5000 APS-C 19.8 5456 36321080/60i23.813.0108979
15.
 
Sony A6000 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.113.1134782
16.
 
Sony NEX-3 APS-C 14.0 4592 3056720/30p22.112.083068
17.
 
Sony NEX-3N APS-C 16.0 4912 32641080/60i22.812.5106774
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 A5100 provides a faster frame rate than the K-3 II. It can shoot movie footage at 1080/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the K-3 II has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the A5100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Pentax K-3 II, the Sony A5100, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty 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 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
2.
 
Sony A5100none n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
3.
 
Nikon D7200optical Y3.2 / 1229 fixed n 1/8000s 6.0/s Y n
4.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
5.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
6.
 
Pentax K-5optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
7.
 
Pentax K-5 IIoptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
8.
 
Pentax K-70optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Pentax KPoptical n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/6000s 7.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Pentax K-S1optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
11.
 
Pentax K-S2optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
12.
 
Sony A77 II2359 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A3000202 n3.0 / 230 fixed n 1/4000s 2.5/s Y n
14.
 
Sony A5000none n3.0 / 461 tilting n 1/4000s 3.5/s Y n
15.
 
Sony A60001440 n3.0 / 922 tilting n 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
16.
 
Sony NEX-3optional n3.0 / 920 tilting n 1/4000s 7.0/s n n
17.
 
Sony NEX-3Noptional n3.0 / 460 tilting n 1/4000s 4.0/s Y n
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the K-3 II, but is missing on the A5100 is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The A5100 has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the K-3 II does not have a selfie-screen.

The Pentax K-3 II 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 K-3 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A5100 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo cards. The K-3 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the A5100 only has one slot. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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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 II and Sony Alpha A5100 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty 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 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
2.
 
Sony A5100-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
3.
 
Nikon D7200Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0YY-
4.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
5.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
6.
 
Pentax K-5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
7.
 
Pentax K-5 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Pentax K-70Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
9.
 
Pentax KPYstereo / monoY--2.0Y--
10.
 
Pentax K-S1Ystereo / mono--micro2.0---
11.
 
Pentax K-S2Ymono / monoY-micro2.0YY-
12.
 
Sony A77 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
13.
 
Sony A3000Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
14.
 
Sony A5000-stereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A6000Ystereo / mono--micro2.0YY-
16.
 
Sony NEX-3Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
17.
 
Sony NEX-3N-stereo / mono--micro2.0---

It is notable that the K-3 II has a hotshoe, while the A5100 does not. This socket makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-3 II (unlike the A5100) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-3 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the K-3 II and the A5100 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The K-3 II was replaced by the Pentax K-3 III, while the A5100 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the K-3 II and A5100 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-3 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A5100 Manual.

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Review summary

So how do things add up? Which of the two cameras – the Pentax K-3 II or the Sony A5100 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-3 II:

  • 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.
  • More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
  • Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
  • 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.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 922k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (8.3 vs 6 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (720 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
  • Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
  • Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
  • Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 8 months after the A5100).

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Reasons to prefer the Sony Alpha A5100:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • More compact: Is smaller (110x63mm vs 131x100mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
  • Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 517g or 65 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 fill-in: Has a small integrated flash to brighten shadows of backlit subjects.
  • 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.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in August 2014).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the K-3 II is the clear winner of the match-up (21 : 15 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.

K-3 II 21:15 A5100

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Pentax K-3 II and the Sony A5100 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the K-3 II or the A5100 perform in practice. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews 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.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A51004.5/5+....4.5/55/5 Aug 2014 US$ 549ebay.com
3.
 
Nikon D72004/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Mar 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
4.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
5.
 
Pentax K-3 III4/5..3/5..4.5/5.. Mar 2021 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
6.
 
Pentax K-54/5....83/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2010 US$ 1 099ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-5 II5/5....80/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 1 099ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-704.5/5..4/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax KP4/5..3/582/1005/54.5/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-S14/5......4.5/54/5 Aug 2014 US$ 749ebay.com
11.
 
Pentax K-S24.5/5......5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
12.
 
Sony A77 II4/5....80/1004.5/55/5 May 2014 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A30003/5+....4/54/5 Aug 2013 US$ 329ebay.com
14.
 
Sony A50003/5+....4.5/54.5/5 Jan 2014 US$ 449ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A60005/5+4.5/580/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2014 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Sony NEX-3......70/1004.5/54/5 May 2010 US$ 599ebay.com
17.
 
Sony NEX-3N3/5......4.5/54.5/5 Feb 2013 US$ 499ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. 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? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Pentax K-3 II vs Sony A5100

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Pentax K mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date April 2015 August 2014
    Launch Price USD 1,099 USD 549
    Sensor Specs Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.6 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 366.6 mm2 366.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.2 mm 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24.1 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6016 x 4000 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.90 μm 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 6.56 MP/cm2 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60i Video 1080/60p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 25,600 ISO
    Image Processor PRIME III BIONZ X
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 80 80
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.6 23.8
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 13.6 12.7
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1106 1347
    Screen Specs Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder no viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.63x
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 1037k dots 922k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Tilting screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    Focus System Phase-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/4000s
    Continuous Shooting 8.3 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inno Intervalometer
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationLens stabilization only
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards MS or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    External Flash Hotshoe no Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 3.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port no MIC socket
    Headphone Socket Headphone port no Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Near-Field Communication no NFC NFC built-in
    Geotagging GPS built-in no internal GPS
    Body Specs Pentax K-3 II Sony A5100
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodynot weather sealed
    Battery Type Pentax D-LI90 Sony NP-FW50
    Battery Life (CIPA)720 shots per charge400 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 131 x 100 x 77 mm
    (5.2 x 3.9 x 3.0 in)
    110 x 63 x 36 mm
    (4.3 x 2.5 x 1.4 in)
    Camera Weight 800 g (28.2 oz) 283 g (10.0 oz)
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