Resolution Wars Redux: Pentax K-3 II reignites the Pixel Shift high-res battle!
posted Thursday, May 28, 2015 at 3:55 PM EDT
A few months ago, we took readers on an in-depth exploration of the multi-shot, high-resolution mode in the Olympus E-M5 II compact system camera, making comparisons to full-frame and even medium-format models. Now, we're pleased to be able to do the same for the Pentax K-3 II, the first mainstream DSLR to feature similar functionality, as well as bringing you our First Shots from Ricoh's followup to the popular K-3.
Ricoh was working on its Pixel Shift Resolution technology well in advance of the E-M5 II's announcement, and while it seems superficially similar to that in the mirrorless camera, there are some important differences in how it functions. It's no less impressive in the real world, though, as you'll see in the side-by-side comparison below. One of these two 100% crops was shot with the 36.3-megapixel, full-frame Nikon D810, and the other with the 24.35-megapixel, APS-C sensor-based Pentax K-3 II in Pixel Shift Resolution mode, then upsampled to the same resolution as the Nikon image.
Want to know which image was shot with which camera? You'll find out in our detailed exploration of the Pentax K-3 II's Pixel Shift Resolution mode, complete with numerous side-by-side comparisons against not only the Nikon D810, but also the medium-format Pentax 645Z and the High Resolution mode of the Olympus E-M5 II. And as if that wasn't already enough, we're also providing a full ISO sensitivity series in both standard and Pixel Shift Resolution modes, so you can see just how much of an improvement the function will also make to both sensitivity and noise levels.
And if you want to make side-by-side comparisons of your own, you'll be pleased to know that alongside the introduction of our Pentax K-3 II First Shots, we've also added our K-3 II stil life series to the Comparometer, where you can judge its images against literally any of the many, many cameras we've reviewed over the years!
Hit the links below now, and see how Ricoh's latest and greatest APS-C DSLR performs against the competition!