Pentax K-1 vs Sony NEX-3

Lets take a more detailed look at the Pentax K-1 and Sony NEX-3, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Pentax and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the K-1 (36MP) and NEX-3 (14MP) and the K-1 (Full frame) and NEX-3 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The K-1 was released 5 years later than the NEX-3 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-1 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the K-1 scores against the NEX-3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax K-1 and Sony Alpha NEX-3. The complete galleries are available at Pentax K-1 Gallery and Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera, you should consider its weight and volume. The Pentax K-1 enjoys outside measurements of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") along with a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-3 has sizing of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax K-1 and Sony NEX-3 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are employing during that time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the K-1 versus the NEX-3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the K-1 and NEX-3 is 55 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizing merely by reviewing specifications. The visual below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the K-1 and NEX-3.

To sum up, both cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The K-1 because of its bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF easier and the Pentax K-1 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 22MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more recent K-1 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.