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Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300

Portability
59
Imaging
65
Features
85
Overall
73
Pentax K-3 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 front
Portability
63
Imaging
44
Features
51
Overall
46

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Key Specs

Pentax K-3
(Full Review)
  • 24MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3.2" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 51200
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 800g - 131 x 100 x 77mm
  • Announced April 2014
  • Later Model is Pentax K-3 II
Sony HX300
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-1200mm (F2.8-6.3) lens
  • 623g - 130 x 103 x 93mm
  • Revealed February 2013
  • Succeeded the Sony HX200V
  • Successor is Sony HX400V
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Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Overview

Its time to look more closely at the Pentax K-3 versus Sony HX300, former is a Advanced DSLR while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the K-3 (24MP) and the HX300 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the K-3 (APS-C) and HX300 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

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The K-3 was manufactured 14 months after the HX300 which makes them a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony HX300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a concise view of how the K-3 scores vs the HX300 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Pentax K-3 over the Sony HX300

 K-3 HX300 
RevealedApril 2014February 2013More modern by 14 months
Screen dimensions3.2"3"Bigger screen (+0.2")
Screen resolution1037k921kCrisper screen (+116k dot)

Reasons to pick Sony HX300 over the Pentax K-3

 HX300 K-3 
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen

Common features in the Pentax K-3 and Sony HX300

 K-3 HX300 
Focus manually More exact focusing
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Absent Touch friendly screen

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Physical Comparison

If you are planning to carry around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Pentax K-3 provides outer dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs) whilst the Sony HX300 has proportions of 130mm x 103mm x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7") along with a weight of 623 grams (1.37 lbs).

Check the Pentax K-3 versus Sony HX300 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the K-3 against the HX300.

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the K-3 and HX300 is 59 and 63 respectively.

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 top view buttons comparison

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Sensor Comparison

In many cases, its difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizes only by seeing specs. The image below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the K-3 and HX300.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The K-3 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field easier and the Pentax K-3 will provide more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more modern K-3 should have an advantage in sensor innovation.

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 sensor size comparison

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Screen and ViewFinder

Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Pentax K-3 Portrait photography advice
Sony HX300 Portrait photography advice
79
manual focus
sensor resolution is decent (24MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
has face detection autofocus
supports RAW formats
42
you can focus manually
decent sensor resolution (20MP)
external flash not possible
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Pentax K-3 Street photography features
Sony HX300 Street photography features
69
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW formats
weather sealing
great high ISO (51,200)
fixed screen
50
screen tilts up and down
built in image stabilization (Optical)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
heavier than competition (623 grams)
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Pentax K-3
Sports photography with Sony HX300
76
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (24 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
has tracking autofocus
weather sealing
sensor has phase detect autofocus
not so great battery pack (560 CIPA)
55
long zoom range (24-1200mm 50.0 x zoom)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (20MP)
comes with tracking focus
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Pentax K-3 Travel photography factors
Sony HX300 Travel photography factors
60
weather sealing
sensor resolution is decent (24 megapixels)
built-in flash
not so great battery pack (560 CIPA)
does not offer selfie friendly screen
54
decent sensor resolution (20 megapixels)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (24mm)
very long reach (1200mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
heavier than competition (623g)
does not contain selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
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Landscape Comparison

Pentax K-3 Landscape photography information
Sony HX300 Landscape photography information
77
manual focus
swap lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is decent (3.2 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (24MP)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
no anti aliasing filter
great high ISO (51,200)
supports RAW formats
weather sealing
2 card slots
not so great battery pack (560 per charge)
48
you can focus manually
reasonably wide (24mm)
screen size is decent (3 inches)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
decent sensor resolution (20 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Pentax K-3 as a Vlogging camera
Sony HX300 as a Vlogging camera
34
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
has face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 resolution)
includes external mic support
does not offer selfie friendly screen
25
reasonably wide (24mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
does not contain selfie friendly screen
doesn't have mic port
heavier than competition (623g)
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Pentax K-3 vs Sony HX300 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Pentax K-3 and Sony HX300
 Pentax K-3Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300
General Information
Make Pentax Sony
Model type Pentax K-3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300
Type Advanced DSLR Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2014-04-10 2013-02-20
Body design Mid-size SLR SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor Information
Processor Prime III -
Sensor type CMOS BSI-CMOS
Sensor size APS-C 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 23.5 x 15.6mm 6.16 x 4.62mm
Sensor surface area 366.6mm² 28.5mm²
Sensor resolution 24 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 3:2 -
Peak resolution 6016 x 4000 5184 x 3888
Highest native ISO 51200 12800
Minimum native ISO 100 80
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
AF multi area
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Total focus points 27 9
Cross type focus points 25 -
Lens
Lens support Pentax KAF2 fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 24-1200mm (50.0x)
Largest aperture - f/2.8-6.3
Available lenses 151 -
Crop factor 1.5 5.8
Screen
Range of screen Fixed Type Tilting
Screen diagonal 3.2" 3"
Resolution of screen 1,037k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Screen technology TFT LCD monitor -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Electronic
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent -
Viewfinder magnification 0.64x -
Features
Min shutter speed 30 secs 30 secs
Max shutter speed 1/8000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shutter speed 8.0fps 10.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance 13.00 m (at ISO 100) -
Flash modes Auto, on, off, red-eye, slow sync, slow sync + red-eye, trailing curtain sync, high speed, wireless, manual -
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Max flash sync 1/180 secs -
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60i, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (60p, 50p, 30p, 25p, 24p) 1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps)
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video data format MPEG-4, H.264 -
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 3.0 (5 GBit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS Optional None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 800 gr (1.76 lbs) 623 gr (1.37 lbs)
Physical dimensions 131 x 100 x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") 130 x 103 x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall rating 80 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 23.7 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 13.4 not tested
DXO Low light rating 1216 not tested
Other
Battery life 560 shots -
Battery form Battery Pack -
Battery ID D-LI90 -
Self timer Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds) -
Time lapse recording
Storage media Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC -
Storage slots Dual One
Price at release $639 $339