Pentax K-5 II vs Sony A55

Below is a detailed comparison of the Pentax K-5 II and Sony A55, former being a Advanced DSLR while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Pentax and Sony. The resolution of the K-5 II (16MP) and the A55 (16MP) is very comparable and both cameras offer the same sensor dimensions (APS-C).

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The K-5 II was launched 2 years later than the A55 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the K-5 II matches up versus the A55 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax K-5 II & Sony SLT-A55. The complete galleries are viewable at Pentax K-5 II Gallery & Sony A55 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Pentax K-5 II offers external dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs) whilst the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") with a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Analyze the Pentax K-5 II and Sony A55 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the K-5 II vs the A55.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the K-5 II and A55 is 60 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic below will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the K-5 II and A55.

Clearly, both cameras have the same sensor dimensions and the same exact MP so you can expect comparable quality of photos though you might want to take the age of the cameras into account. The more recent K-5 II provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.