Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax K-5 II

Its time to look much closer at the Pentax K-3 II versus Pentax K-5 II, both Advanced DSLR digital cameras and they are both designed by Pentax. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the K-3 II (24MP) and K-5 II (16MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor sizes (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The K-3 II was released 23 months after the K-5 II which makes them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Mid-size SLR).

Before we go into a in depth comparison, here is a short view of how the K-3 II matches up versus the K-5 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Pentax K-3 II & Pentax K-5 II. The complete galleries are available at Pentax K-3 II Gallery & Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Pentax K-3 II comes with external dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Take a look at the Pentax K-3 II versus Pentax K-5 II in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the K-3 II compared to the K-5 II.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the K-3 II and K-5 II is 59 and 60 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to envision the gap between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The picture here may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the K-3 II and K-5 II.

To sum up, each of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Pentax K-3 II to give you extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The fresher K-3 II is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.