Sony A99 vs Pentax K-3 II

Cameras
Compare Cameras
Sony A99 vs Pentax K-3 II

35mm 855.6mm²
24.3 megapixels
ISO 100 - 25,600

Go in depth with our full Sony A99 Review.
See real-world photos taken with the A99.

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.

Succeeded by the Sony A99 II
Compare A99 vs A99 II

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

Compare SONY A99 II vs PENTAX K-3 III

Buy From

Differences

Sony A99 advantages over Pentax K-3 II

Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Larger sensor
35mm vs APS-C
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Bigger pixels
~ 5.97 vs 3.91 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Fast startup
~0.70 vs 1.2 sec
Faster startup lets you catch the moment
Higher effective ISO

Higher effective ISO

Maximum effective ISO is an estimate of the highest sensitivity at which a camera can capture excellent quality photos.

Cameras with higher effective ISO will be better choices for indoor photography, night shooting, and indoor sports photography, especially if you intend to make large prints.

You can learn more at our glossary entry.

Maximum effective ISO test data courtesy of DxO Mark.
A99 test data on DxO Mark K-3 II test data on DxO Mark

1,555 vs 1,106 iso
Take photos in low light with less noise
More viewfinder magnification
0.71x vs 0.63x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder

Pentax K-3 II advantages over Sony A99

Lens selection
Excellent vs Good
Better lens selection gives you more options
High resolution composite
Yes vs No
Combine multiple shots to form a super hi-res version
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 500 shots
Capture more photos
More cross-type AF points
25 vs 3
Cross-type AF points improve autofocus performance
More AF points
27 vs 19
More AF points improve autofocus
Optional anti-aliasing filter
Optional vs Fixed
Lets you choose sharper photos or reduced moiré
Faster JPEG shooting
8.1 fps vs 5.9 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Bigger JPEG buffer
60 vs 17 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster RAW shooting
8.2 fps vs 5.9 fps
Faster RAW shooting in burst mode

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 GPS
Both provide
Geotag your photos
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
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
Hot shoe
Both provide
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
Dual card slots
Both provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
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

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
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
Internal flash
Neither provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Slow-motion videos
Neither provide
Shoot slow-motion videos

User reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read A99 User Reviews

Amazon
Adorama
Read K-3 II User Reviews

Buy From

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A99

Body Only

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-3 II

Body Only (Black)

All K-3 II Deals

Review Excerpt

Read our Sony A99 Review

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

The Competition

Compared to Nikon D800

Sony A99

Nikon D800

$1998
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
Focus peaking

$1850
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A99 vs Nikon D800

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D800

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$1850
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D800

Compared to Canon 5D Mark III

Sony A99

Canon 5D Mark III

$1998
35mm

Focus peaking
Tilt-swivel screen

$2139
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A99 vs Canon 5D Mark III

Pentax K-3 II

Canon 5D Mark III

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
Less expensive

$2139
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Canon 5D Mark III

Compared to Nikon D800E

Sony A99

Nikon D800E

$1998
35mm

Less expensive
Tilt-swivel screen

$2212
35mm

Lens selection
Fast startup

Compare Sony A99 vs Nikon D800E

Pentax K-3 II

Nikon D800E

$830
APS-C

Focus peaking
In-Camera Image Stabilization

$2212
35mm

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Pentax K-3 II vs Nikon D800E

Compared to Canon T6i

Sony A99

Canon T6i

$1998
35mm

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$549
APS-C

Lens selection
Touchscreen

Compare Sony A99 vs 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

Compared to Pentax KP

Sony A99

Pentax KP

$1998
35mm

Tilt-swivel screen
Larger sensor

$999
APS-C

Lens selection
High resolution composite

Compare Sony A99 vs 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

Compare Other Cameras?