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Pentax K-3 III

 
Pentax K-3 Mark III front
 
  • 26MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3.2" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600000
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Anti-Alias Filter
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 3840 x 2160 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 820g - 135 x 104 x 74mm
  • Launched March 2021
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Lenses
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
58
Imaging
71
Features
86
Overall
77

Pentax K-3 III summary

Pentax K-3 III is Pentax's Advanced DSLR digital camera originally announced on March of 2021. It has got a 26 MegaPixel, CMOS APS-C size sensor with a max resolution of 6192 x 4128.

The K-3 III is placed #9 out of 92 in Advanced DSLR cameras & over-all #65 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should check our Smart camera search to find camera rankings based on your personal criteria.

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The following is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.

Pentax K-3 III history

The Pentax K-3 III has a history of related digital cameras. Here, you can see all earlier and most recent models alongside important specs.

ModelVisualizeResolutionSensor SizeMax fpsReleased
Pentax-K-3-Mark-III front thumbnailPentax K-3 III26MPAPS-C12.0 fps2021
Pentax-KP front thumbnailPentax KP
K-3 III vs KP
24MPAPS-C7.0 fps2017
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Pentax-K-3-II front thumbnailPentax K-3 II
K-3 III vs K-3 II
24MPAPS-C8.3 fps2015
Pentax-K-S1 front thumbnailPentax K-S1
K-3 III vs K-S1
20MPAPS-C5.4 fps2014
Pentax-K-3 front thumbnailPentax K-3
K-3 III vs K-3
24MPAPS-C8.0 fps2014
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Pentax-K-5-II front thumbnailPentax K-5 II
K-3 III vs K-5 II
16MPAPS-C7.0 fps2013

Pentax K-3 III Pros and Cons

Here is a list of good and bad points of the Pentax K-3 III based on factors which are typically considered essential in a digital camera.

builtin Top LCD screen
change lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
doesnt have anti-alias filter
good high ISO (1,600,000)
good minimum ISO (100)
has bluetooth
has dual storage slots
has HDMI support
has headphone jack
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
has manual focus
has microphone jack
has phase detect AF
has touchscreen
high res video (3840 x 2160 pixels)
high shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
includes touch focus
megapixel count amazing (26 megapixels)
offers face detect focusing
offers tracking focus
screen size is good (3.2 inch)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports RAW files
very good screen resolution (1,620 thousand dot)
weather proof
low battery pack (800 CIPA)
no moving screen
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Pentax K-3 III Sensor features

The sensor specification on the Pentax K-3 III is 23mm x 15.5mm (APS-C). The 357 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 6192 x 4128 pixels with aspect ratios of 3:2. The camera has Image Stabilization (Sensor based). In body stabilization is preferable than digital stabilization since the latter can produce cropping.

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The CMOS sensor has 26 megapixels and provides a standard ISO range of 100 to 1600000. RAW files are saved which means that you have more margin for error.

Pentax opted to omit the anti-alias filter on the Pentax K-3 III. This will result in more sharper photos but may cause moire in some conditions.

The picture underneath shows the K-3 III's sensor size when compared to other popular sizes. The K-3 III sensor has a crop factor of 1.6 and is presented in green.

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To get an understanding of different aspect ratios, you can refer to the graphic below.

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Pentax K-3 III dimensions

Pentax K-3 III has a weight of 1.81 lb (820 gr / 28.92 ounces) & has exterior size of 135mm x 104mm x 74mm (5.3" x 4.1" x 2.9"). The weight of typical Advanced DSLR camera is 776 gr and the Pentax K-3 III is very much the same when compared with its rivals.

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Down below is a shot of the Pentax K-3 III next to a soda to help you get a feel for its size.

Pentax K-3 Mark III dimensions scale

The top view under will provide the button layout on the K-3 III.

Pentax K-3 Mark III topview buttons dials

Pentax K-3 III Lens features

The K-3 III uses the Pentax KAF2 mount and has 17 lenses to pick from. Here is a few of the lenses we have in our database that will fit the K-3 III.

ModelVisualizeFocal LengthApertureStabilizedWeight
Pentax-smc-DA-16-50mm-F2.8-ED-AL-IF-SDM lensPentax smc DA 16-50mm F2.8 ED AL IF SDM16-50mmf/2.8 565g
Samsung-D-Xenon-35mm-F2-AL lensSamsung D-Xenon 35mm F2 AL35mmf/2.0 195g
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Pentax-smc-DA-300mm-F4.0-ED-IF-SDM lensPentax smc DA 300mm F4.0 ED IF SDM300mmf/4.0 1070g
Pentax-smc-DA-50-135mm-F2.8-ED-IF-SDM lensPentax smc DA 50-135mm F2.8 ED IF SDM50-135mmf/2.8 685g
Samsung-D-Xenon-16-45mm-F4 lensSamsung D-Xenon 16-45mm F416-45mmf/4.0 365g
Samsung-D-Xenon-18-55mm-F3.5-5.6 lensSamsung D-Xenon 18-55mm F3.5-5.618-55mmf/3.5-5.6 225g
Photography Glossary
Samsung-D-Xenon-18-250mm-F3.5-6.3 lensSamsung D-Xenon 18-250mm F3.5-6.318-250mmf/3.5-6.3 455g
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Pentax K-3 III Connectivity

The K-3 III has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes
  • Wireless Yes
  • Bluetooth Yes
  • HDMI Yes

Digital cameras that incorporate NFC and / or Bluetooth compatibility can be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can copy images and sometimes change camera settings with no need to connect directly with the camera.

A few apps also enable a Liveview and hit the shutter if you are not close to the camera. If the camera comes with a HDMI port, it can be attached to an external monitor. A lot of cameras enable you to charge the battery pack with the USB port.

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Pentax K-3 III Video features

The max video resolution on the Pentax K-3 III is 3840 x 2160 and you can save in MPEG-4 and H.264 file format. 2160p provides an excellent resolution for video recording. You can downsample to 1080p to get improved results. Be mindful of the large file sizes and ensure you own good SD cards with good write speeds. The body does have both headphone and microphone jack making it pretty valuable while capturing audio.

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Pentax K-3 III Weather Sealing

Pentax K-3 III features weather proofing making it a excellent choice for use in rough environments. This can be particularly beneficial when you are uncertain about the elements you might face in outdoor photography.

Pentax K-3 III Screen and Viewfinder

The Pentax K-3 III has got a 3.2 inch fixed screen with a resolution of 1,620 thousand dots.

Moreover the screen is touch friendly which means that you can adjust focus points and change settings with your finger. The K-3 III also has a builtin Top LCD screen so you're able to instantly view camera settings.

Pentax K-3 Mark III screen and viewfinder President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or ban

The View Finder specs for Pentax K-3 III are below:

  • ViewFinder Optical (pentaprism)
  • ViewFinder Coverage 100%
  • ViewFinder Magnification 0.7x

Viewfinders can be pretty beneficial in sunny outdoor situations which may make the camera screen washed out and hard to see.

Pentax K-3 III Shutter features

Pentax K-3 III continuous shooting rate is 12.0 frames per second. The highest shutter speed is 1/8000 seconds.

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Pentax K-3 III Flash and Hot shoe features

Pentax K-3 III has external flash support but is without built in flash. The max flash sync is 1/200 seconds.

Pentax K-3 III Autofocus features

Pentax K-3 III has both Phase Detect Auto Focus as well as Contrast Detect Auto Focus. Phase Detection autofocusing is a lot more snappier & precise compared to Contrast Detect autofocusing. The camera has got Face detection which makes it helpful for portraits.

The AF system has got 101 focus points to choose from. Pentax K-3 III has tap to focus. You can use your fingers to change where you focus. It also boasts Tracking Auto Focus for moving things. Pentax K-3 III features manual focus if needed in low light situations or you require more precise control on focus.

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Pentax K-3 III Battery life

The battery pack (D-LI90) in the Pentax K-3 III is designed to last for 800 shots based on the CIPA benchmarks which is lesser as compared to it's rivals. The usual Advanced DSLR camera battery life is 909. Nikon D780 comes with the maximum (2260) battery life in this group of cameras.

Underneath is a collection of Advanced DSLR cameras having the highest battery life:

Pentax K-3 III for different forms of photography

The following chart presents a rundown of the Pentax K-3 III for different forms of photography. To find out more, browse to the specific section underneath.

Pentax K-3 III Portrait photography highlights

The Pentax K-3 III has a points total of 82 which is exceptional, and means the camera is a brilliant pick to use for portrait photography. Shooting portraits favors greatly towards sensor dimensions, RAW support in addition to the capability to work with external flash.

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you can focus manually
MP count high (26 megapixels)
good sensor size (APS-C)
includes face detect focusing
delivers RAW files

Pentax K-3 III as a Street photography camera

Coming in at a very good score of 70, the Pentax K-3 III is a respectable option to buy for street photography. A decent street photography camera features a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

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has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW files
boasts touch focus
environment sealing
good high ISO (1,600,000)
no moving screen

Pentax K-3 III Sports photography information

A outstanding sports photography points tally of 79 means the Pentax K-3 III is a terrific pick for shooting sports. A camera must have fantastic autofocus and shutter speeds for sports photography.

Photography Glossary
great max shutter speed (1/8,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count excellent (26MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
provides tracking focus
environment sealing
sensor has phase detect autofocus
terrible battery life (800 CIPA)

Travel photography with Pentax K-3 III

Size is very important when getting a camera for travel. On the whole, the Pentax K-3 III gets a very good 64 as a travel camera which is a good option to take on your vacations.

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weather proof
has bluetooth
supports touch focus
excellent megapixels (26 megapixels)
low battery power (800 shots)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display

Pentax K-3 III Landscape photography information

For anyone looking to choose a camera for landscape photos, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Pentax K-3 III and it's great score of 80 for a landscape camera is a superb fit compared to it's competition.

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has manual focus
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is good (3.2 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
resolution is great (26MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
does not have anti-alias filter
very good high ISO (1,600,000)
delivers RAW files
environment sealing
has double storage slots
terrible battery life (800 CIPA)

Vlogging with Pentax K-3 III

A vlogging camera should posses a moving screen, microphone input and if possible IBIS. Considering everything, the Pentax K-3 III is just not good as a vlog camera as it delivers a dreadful rating of 35.

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built-in touchscreen
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detect focus
great video quality (3840 x 2160 resolution)
has mic support
screen is not selfie friendly

Pentax K-3 III Alternatives

If you are looking for replacements to the K-3 III, below is a list of the top ranked cameras that fall within the category of Advanced DSLR.

The chart here will give you an overview of the K-3 III vs it's top scoring rivals mentioned previously.

Following are several cameras you may look at as alternative options. To read a complete comparison, just click on the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Company
Pentax
Model
Pentax K-3 Mark III
Category
Advanced DSLR
Launched
2021-03-31
Body design
Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CMOS
Sensor size
APS-C
Sensor measurements
23 x 15.5mm
Sensor area
356.5mm²
Sensor resolution
26 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio
3:2
Highest Possible resolution
6192 x 4128
RAW pictures
Maximum native ISO
1600000
Min native ISO
100
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
Continuous AF
Single AF
Tracking AF
Selective AF
Center weighted AF
AF multi area
AF live view
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points
101
Cross focus points
25
Lens
Lens mounting type
Pentax KAF2
Available lenses
156
Crop factor
1.6
Screen
Screen type
Fixed Type
Screen size
3.2 inch
Screen resolution
1,620 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type
Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage
100%
Viewfinder magnification
0.7x
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
30s
Max shutter speed
1/8000s
Continuous shutter speed
12.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation
Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range
no built-in flash
Flash settings
Auto, Auto + Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On + Red-eye Reduction, Slow- speed Sync, Slow-speed Sync + Red-eye, P-TTL, Contrast-control-sync, High-speed sync, Wireless sync
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Max flash sync
1/200s
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions
3840 x 2160 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM3840 x 2160 @ 24p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 60p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 30p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM1920 x 1080 @ 24p, MOV, H.264, Linear PCM
Maximum video resolution
3840x2160
Video format
MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 GBit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
820 grams (1.81 lb)
Dimensions
135 x 104 x 74mm (5.3" x 4.1" x 2.9")
Other
Battery life
800 shots
Style of battery
Battery Pack
Battery model
D-LI90
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse feature
Type of storage
Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC slots (UHS-II supported in slot 1)
Storage slots
2
Pricing at release
$1,999