Pentax K-3 II vs Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Cameras
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Pentax K-3 II vs Leica X-U (Typ 113)

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 370.5mm²
16.2 megapixels
35.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Leica X-U (Typ 113) Review.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 III
Compare K-3 II vs K-3 III
Compare Pentax K-3 III vs Leica X-U (Typ 113)

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Differences

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Focus peaking
Peaker vs Non-peaker
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Less expensive
$830 vs $3495
Save money for lenses or accessories
Eye-level viewfinder
Eye-level vs Rear display only
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
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
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

720 vs 450 shots
Capture more photos
Top deck display
Yes vs No
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
HDMI out
HDMI out vs None
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More pixels
24.4 vs 16.2 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Shoots 60p video
Yes vs No
A faster framerate can give you more editing options
Dual card slots
Yes vs No
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.0 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 7 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/8000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 12500 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Leica X-U (Typ 113) advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Waterproof
Yes vs No
Take photos underwater without destroying your camera!
Bigger pixels
~ 4.77 vs 3.91 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Higher max flash sync
1/2000 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Neither provide
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
Built-in Wi-Fi
Neither provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

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Read K-3 II User Reviews

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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

We haven’t reviewed the Leica X-U (Typ 113).
Read our Leica X-U (Typ 113) Preview

The Competition

Compared to Leica X (Typ 113)

Pentax K-3 II

Leica X (Typ 113)

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$3500
APS-C

Bigger pixels
Internal flash

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Leica X (Typ 113)

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Leica X (Typ 113)

$3495
APS-C

Waterproof
Longer stills battery life

$3500
APS-C

HDMI out
Lighter weight

Compare Leica X-U (Typ 113) vs Leica X (Typ 113)

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

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Canon T6i

$3495
APS-C

Waterproof
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Leica X-U (Typ 113) vs Canon T6i

Compared to Leica Q

Pentax K-3 II

Leica Q

$830
APS-C

Less expensive
High resolution composite

$3695
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Leica Q

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Leica Q

$3495
APS-C

Waterproof
More telephoto lens reach

$3695
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

Compare Leica X-U (Typ 113) vs Leica Q

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

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Pentax KP

$3495
APS-C

Waterproof
Bigger pixels

$999
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

Compare Leica X-U (Typ 113) 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

Leica X-U (Typ 113)

Canon T7i

$3495
APS-C

Waterproof
Larger sensor

$700
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

Compare Leica X-U (Typ 113) vs Canon T7i

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