Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic LX100 II

Cameras
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Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic LX100 II

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

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

4/3 224.9mm²
17.0 megapixels
24.00mm - 75.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic LX100 II Review.
How does it shoot? Panasonic LX100 II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the LX100 II.
Compare Panasonic LX100 II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Panasonic LX100 II conclusion.

Succeeded by the Pentax K-3 II
Compare K-3 vs K-3 II
Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Panasonic LX100 II

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Differences

Pentax K-3 advantages over Panasonic LX100 II

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 4/3
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 3.91 vs 3.36 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Fast startup
~0.90 vs 2.8 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
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

560 vs 300 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
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
More pixels
24.4 vs 17.0 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
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 None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 25600 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Panasonic LX100 II advantages over Pentax K-3

Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
Touchscreen
Touch vs No touch
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Built-in Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi vs None
Share your photos wirelessly
Built-in Bluetooth
Yes vs No
Always-on wireless connectivity
Higher max flash sync
1/4000 vs 1/180 sec
Reduce the effect of ambient light in flash shots
Newer
6 years vs 11 years old
Newer cameras often support more advanced features
More viewfinder magnification
0.70x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
11.3 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
11.2 fps vs 7.1 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode
Bigger RAW buffer
34 vs 24 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/16000 vs 1/8000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
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.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Bulb shutter
Both provide
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

Tilt-swivel screen
Neither provide
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Tiltable Screen
Neither provide
Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
NFC
Neither provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
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

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 User Reviews

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Review Excerpt

Top-notch image quality; Great ergonomics in a compact body; Unique on-demand low-pass filtering; Broad sensitivity range; Large and bright viewfinder for an APS-C camera; Dual card slots; Optional Wi-Fi remote control
AE Lock button is poorly located; Below-average battery life for a DSLR; Rather dated-looking menu system; Requires a different battery grip accessory than its predecessors; Less third-party support than some rivals
Read our Pentax K-3 Review

Compact coat-pocket friendly body with plenty of dedicated controls; Great electronic viewfinder; Impressive image quality for its class; Generous performance; Decent battery life.
Too big for a pants pocket; No articulation for LCD; Relatively short zoom range compared to some rivals; Can't use full sensor area at any aspect ratio; Not the best choice for video.
Read our Panasonic LX100 II Review

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D7100

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7100

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$695
APS-C

Fast startup
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7100

Panasonic LX100 II

Nikon D7100

$898
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$695
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Nikon D7100

Compared to Nikon D5300

Pentax K-3

Nikon D5300

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D5300

Panasonic LX100 II

Nikon D5300

$898
4/3

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$549
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Nikon D5300

Compared to Panasonic LX100

Pentax K-3

Panasonic LX100

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Fast startup

$598
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Panasonic LX100

Panasonic LX100 II

Panasonic LX100

$898
4/3

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

$598
4/3

Less expensive
Fast startup

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Panasonic LX100

Compared to Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Pentax K-3

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$699
APS-C

Larger sensor
Internal flash

$875
4/3

Shoot 4K video
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Panasonic LX100 II

Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

$898
4/3

Touchscreen
Built-in Bluetooth

$875
4/3

Bigger pixels
Has anti-aliasing filter

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Leica D-LUX (Typ 109)

Compared to Nikon D7200

Pentax K-3

Nikon D7200

$699
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1043
APS-C

Fast startup
Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-3 vs Nikon D7200

Panasonic LX100 II

Nikon D7200

$898
4/3

Less expensive
Focus peaking

$1043
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic LX100 II vs Nikon D7200

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