Pentax K-3 vs Sony A380

Here, we will be contrasting the Pentax K-3 versus Sony A380, one being a Advanced DSLR and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Pentax and Sony. There exists a big gap between the resolutions of the K-3 (24MP) and A380 (14MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor measurements (APS-C).

Photography Glossary

The K-3 was announced 4 years later than the A380 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the K-3 scores against the A380 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Pentax K-3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are provided at Pentax K-3 Gallery and Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and measurements. The Pentax K-3 comes with outside dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) while the Sony A380 has proportions of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Examine the Pentax K-3 versus Sony A380 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the K-3 versus the A380.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the K-3 and A380 is 59 and 68 respectively.

More often than not, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements purely by reviewing specifications. The visual below might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the K-3 and A380.

To sum up, both of the cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Pentax K-3 to deliver extra detail with its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The newer K-3 will have an advantage in sensor tech.