• APS-C 372.1mm2
  • 16.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800
  • APS-C 366.6mm2
  • 24.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 25,600

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Differences

Pentax K-5 advantages over Sony A6000

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Yes vs No
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • Bigger pixels
    ~ 4.81 vs 3.92 microns
    Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
  • Fast startup
    ~0.60 vs 2.2 sec
    Faster startup lets you catch the moment
  • Longer stills battery life
    More info 740 vs 360 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
  • Faster shutter
    1/8000 vs 1/4000 sec
    Shoot wide open in bright light

Sony A6000 advantages over Pentax K-5

  • Focus peaking
    Peaker vs Non-peaker
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • Higher effective ISO
    1,347 vs 1,162 iso
    Take photos in low light with less noise
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Yes vs No
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Thinner
    45 mm vs 73 mm
    Thinner
  • Shoots 24p video
    Yes vs No
    Gives your movies a big-screen feel
  • Lighter weight
    468g vs 1003g
    Lighter weight
  • More viewfinder magnification
    0.70x vs 0.61x
    Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
  • More pixels
    24.3 vs 16.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Wider angle kit lens
    24 mm vs 27 mm
    Capture more of the scene with the included lens
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    11.1 fps vs 6.5 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    47 vs 31 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
  • Faster RAW shooting
    11.1 fps vs 6.5 fps
    Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Both provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • 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
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-5

Review Excerpt

  • Excellent high ISO performance, one of the best APS-C sensors yet; 6.5 fps burst mode has very good buffer depths; Weather, dust, and cold resistant; In-body Shake Reduction corrects not only horizontal / vertical, but also rotational motion.

  • Default saturation and contrast a bit high; Auto white balance too warm in tungsten light; Fewer AF points than main competitors; Only a single card slot, and no UHS-I card support (slow buffer clearing).

  • Amazing image quality for the price; Blazing-fast hybrid autofocus; Swift burst shooting with generous buffer depths; Good battery life with LCD monitor; More compact than a DSLR; In-camera Wi-Fi wireless networking

  • Continuous autofocus can't match its burst rate; High-ISO JPEGs can look overprocessed; Sluggish startup; No touch-screen display; Wi-Fi can be a bit frustrating to use

The Competition

Compared to Canon T3i

Pentax K-5
Canon T3i
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Larger sensor
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Tilt-swivel screen
Sony A6000
Canon T3i
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Larger sensor
  • $549
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen

Compared to Nikon D5100

Pentax K-5
Nikon D5100
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • Top deck display
  • $650
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Shoots 24p video
Sony A6000
Nikon D5100
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • In-camera panoramas
  • $650
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Tilt-swivel screen

Compared to Pentax K-30

Pentax K-5
Pentax K-30
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Fast startup
  • Longer stills battery life
  • $599
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Focus peaking
Sony A6000
Pentax K-30
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • In-camera panoramas
  • Tiltable Screen
  • $599
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization

Compared to Samsung NX3000

Pentax K-5
Samsung NX3000
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • $950
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • In-camera panoramas
Sony A6000
Samsung NX3000
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $950
  • APS-C
  • Slow-motion videos

Compared to Sony A6300

Pentax K-5
Sony A6300
  • $800
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $748
  • APS-C
  • Focus peaking
  • Shoot 4K video
Sony A6000
Sony A6300
  • $648
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • $748
  • APS-C
  • Shoot 4K video
  • Fast startup
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