Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A7R II

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A7R II

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

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-S2 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-S2 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-S2.
Compare Pentax K-S2 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-S2 conclusion.

35mm 861.6mm²
42.4 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A7R II Review.
How does it shoot? Sony A7R II in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the A7R II.
Compare Sony A7R II image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Sony A7R II conclusion.

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Differences

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Sony A7R II

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
Less expensive
$499 vs $2898*
Save money for lenses or accessories
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs tilt-only
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Fast startup
~1.00 vs 1.5 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

410 vs 340 shots
Capture more photos
Internal flash
Internal flash vs None
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Less shutter lag
0.12 vs 0.21 sec
Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs None
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré

Sony A7R II advantages over Pentax K-S2

Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Shoot 4K video
4K (UHD) vs 1080p
Make sure you have a fast computer
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
On-sensor phase detect
Yes vs No
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Higher-res screen
307k vs 230k pixels
More detail on the screen lets you judge focus and composition
More viewfinder magnification
0.78x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
42.4 vs 20.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Headphone jack
Yes vs No
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
Bigger RAW buffer
23 vs 9 shots
Larger buffer for RAW shots (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos
Higher extended ISO
102400 vs 51200 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

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
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
External Mic Jack
Both provide
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
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

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
Top deck display
Neither provide
Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-S2 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A7R II User Reviews

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Buy the Pentax K-S2

Body Only (White)

Body Only (White)
Body Only (Black)
Body Only (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (White)

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Buy the Sony A7R II

Body Only

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Review Excerpt

Very compact for a weather-sealed DSLR; Good ergonomics and great viewfinder; Excellent image quality; Decent performance for its class; Articulated screen is great for difficult compositions; Offers features not found in other Pentax DSLRs
18-50mm kit lens is fiddly and prone to jamming when retracted; Wi-Fi is slow and unintuitive; Slow startup; Limited movie mode; Poor battery life for a DSLR; Priced too close to its enthusiast-grade sibling
Read our Pentax K-S2 Review

Superb image quality; Very high resolution; Surprisingly good high ISO performance; Fast autofocus; Compact, comfortable body with lots of customization potential; Bright, roomy and clear viewfinder; Tilting LCD display; Five-axis stabilization; Intuitive Wi-Fi / NFC connectivity
Movie button is poorly located; No touch screen; Not as fast to start up or shoot photos as a similarly-priced SLR; Rather slow buffer clearing; No built-in flash; Single card slot; Not weather-sealed to the same degree as some rivals
Read our Sony A7R II Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-500

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-500

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$597
APS-C

Longer stills battery life
Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-500

Sony A7R II

Pentax K-500

$2898
35mm

Larger sensor
Shoot 4K video

$597
APS-C

Lens selection
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A7R II vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-S1

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$502
APS-C

Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-S1

Sony A7R II

Pentax K-S1

$2898
35mm

Larger sensor
Shoot 4K video

$502
APS-C

Lens selection
Longer stills battery life

Compare Sony A7R II vs Pentax K-S1

Compared to Nikon D5500

Pentax K-S2

Nikon D5500

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$597
APS-C

Touchscreen
Fast startup

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Nikon D5500

Sony A7R II

Nikon D5500

$2898
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$597
APS-C

Lens selection
Less expensive

Compare Sony A7R II vs Nikon D5500

Compared to Sony A9

Pentax K-S2

Sony A9

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$3147
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A9

Sony A7R II

Sony A9

$2898
35mm

In-camera panoramas
More pixels

$3147
35mm

Bigger pixels
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A9

Compared to Sony A7R III

Pentax K-S2

Sony A7R III

$499
APS-C

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$2248
35mm

Larger sensor
Shoot 4K video

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Sony A7R III

Sony A7R II

Sony A7R III

$2898
35mm

In-camera panoramas

$2248
35mm

Less expensive
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A7R II vs Sony A7R III

Compare Other Cameras?