Nikon D3100 vs Pentax K-70

Here is a in-depth review of the Nikon D3100 and Pentax K-70, both Entry-Level DSLR cameras by competitors Nikon and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the D3100 (14MP) and K-70 (24MP) but both cameras offer the identical sensor size (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The D3100 was launched 6 years earlier than the K-70 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact SLR).

Before delving straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summary of how the D3100 scores versus the K-70 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon D3100 and Pentax K-70. The complete galleries are available at Nikon D3100 Gallery and Pentax K-70 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera often, you need to consider its weight and dimensions. The Nikon D3100 has got external measurements of 124mm x 96mm x 75mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 3.0") and a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) and the Pentax K-70 has dimensions of 126mm x 93mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 2.9") and a weight of 688 grams (1.52 lbs).

Check the Nikon D3100 and Pentax K-70 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the D3100 compared to the K-70.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the D3100 and K-70 is 68 and 62 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to see the gap in sensor sizing purely by researching specifications. The visual underneath might provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the D3100 and K-70.

To sum up, both the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Pentax K-70 to render more detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older D3100 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.