Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 80D

Cameras
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Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 80D

APS-C 366.6mm²
24.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-3 II Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-3 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-3 II.
Compare Pentax K-3 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-3 II conclusion.

APS-C 337.5mm²
24.2 megapixels
ISO 100 - 16,000

Go in depth with our full Canon 80D Review.
How does it shoot? Canon 80D in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the 80D.
Compare Canon 80D image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Canon 80D conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III

Succeeded by the Canon 90D
Compare 80D vs 90D

Compare PENTAX K-3 III vs CANON 90D

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Canon 80D

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Yes vs No
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
Built-in GPS
GPS vs None
Geotag your photos
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 6.8 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 6.7 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Canon 80D advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Fast startup
~0.50 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Yes vs No
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

960 vs 720 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
More cross-type AF points
45 vs 25
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More AF points
45 vs 27
More AF points improve autofocus

Similarities

Common Strengths

Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
Top deck display
Both provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Pentaprism viewfinder
Both provide
Much better viewfinder picture fidelity
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Headphone jack
Both provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read 80D User Reviews

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Body Only
Kit with 18-135mm Lens
Kit with 18-55mm Lens

Review Excerpt

Top-notch image quality; Spectacular detail from Pixel Shift Resolution; Better performance than K-3; Geotag images with no accessories; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Clever on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots
No built-in flash strobe; No wireless flash support out of the box; AstroTracer function can be finicky; AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a prosumer DSLR; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors
Read our Pentax K-3 II Review

Very good image quality; Better RAW high ISO performance than predecessor; Improved buffer depth; Very fast AF; Dual Pixel CMOS AF is excellent; f/8 AF support; 1080/60p video; Headphone jack; Very good battery life.
New kit lens isn't very sharp; No 4K video; No clean HDMI out; 29:59 minute video recording limit; Phase detect AF not as sensitive in low-light as expected (Dual Pixel AF is better in low-light).
Read our Canon 80D Review

The Competition

Compared to Canon T6i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T6i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T6i

Canon 80D

Canon T6i

$935
APS-C

Fast startup
Higher effective ISO

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Lighter weight

Compare Canon 80D vs Canon T6i

Compared to Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D7200

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1043
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D7200

Canon 80D

Nikon D7200

$935
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$1043
APS-C

Higher effective ISO
More dynamic range

Compare Canon 80D vs Nikon D7200

Compared to Pentax KP

Pentax K-3 II

Pentax KP

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Built-in GPS

$999
APS-C

Tiltable Screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax KP

Canon 80D

Pentax KP

$935
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compare Canon 80D vs Pentax KP

Compared to Canon T7i

Pentax K-3 II

Canon T7i

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon T7i

Canon 80D

Canon T7i

$935
APS-C

Longer stills battery life
More telephoto lens reach

$700
APS-C

Built-in Bluetooth
Lighter weight

Compare Canon 80D vs Canon T7i

Compared to Nikon D7500

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D7500

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$930
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Touchscreen

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D7500

Canon 80D

Nikon D7500

$935
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$930
APS-C

Shoot 4K video
Fast startup

Compare Canon 80D vs Nikon D7500

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