Here’s our Canon 80D vs Pentax K-3 II comparison. They’re both great for a whole lot of different types of photography and aren’t too big or heavy, so let’s see which one is better for the money.
Our comparison table below covers all the important specifications of each camera. Below that, we specifically talk about the new improvements and which model is better suited for your needs.
| Canon 80D | Pentax K-3 II | |
|---|---|---|
| Megapixels | 24.2 | 24.3 |
| Sensor Type | CMOS | CMOS |
| Sensor Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Crop Factor | 1.6x | 1.5x |
| AA Filter | Yes | On/Off |
| Image Resolution | 6000 x 4000 | 6016 x 4000 |
| Body Image Stabilization | No | Yes |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF/EF-S | Pentax K |
| ISO | 100 - 16,000 | 100 - 51,200 |
| Expanded ISO | 25,600 | None |
| AF Points | 45 | 27 |
| Cross-type AF Points | 45 | 25 |
| Continuous Mode | 7fps | 8fps |
| LCD | 3.0" - Fully Articulated | 3.2" - Fixed |
| LCD Resolution | 1,040,000 dots | 1,036,800 dots |
| Touchscreen | Yes | No |
| Focus Peaking | No | Yes |
| Top LCD Display | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder Type | Optical | Optical |
| Viewfinder Coverage | 98% | 100% |
| Viewfinder Magnification | 0.95x | 0.95x |
| Video Resolution | 1920x1080 (60/50/30/25/24p | 1920x1080 (60i/50i/30/25/24p) |
| 1280x720 (60/50p) | 1280x720 (60/50p) | |
| Microphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes | Yes |
| Memory Card Type | SD | SD + SD |
| Dual Card Slots | No | Yes |
| SD UHS Support | UHS-I | UHS-I |
| Fastest Shutter Speed | 1/8000 | 1/8000 |
| Slowest Shutter Speed | 30" | 30" |
| Bulb Mode | Yes | Yes |
| JPEG Buffer Size | 53 | 60 |
| RAW Buffer Size | 24 | 22 |
| Time Lapse | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in Flash | Yes | No |
| Max Flash Sync Speed | 1/250 | 1/180 |
| Startup Time | 0.5s | 1.2s |
| Built-in Wi-Fi | Yes | No |
| Built-in GPS | No | Yes |
| Built- in NFC | Yes | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| USB Type | USB 2.0 | USB 3.0 |
| Environmentally Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Battery Life (CIPA) | 960 shots | 720 shots |
| Battery Included | Yes (LP-E6 or LP-E6N) | Yes (D-LI90) |
| Weight | 25.8 oz (730g) | 27.07 oz (785g) |
| Size | 5.5 x 4.1 x 3.1" | 5.2 x 4.0 x 3.1" |
| Price | Amazon | Amazon |
| Release Date | 2016 | 2015 |
Canon 80D Advantages:
- AF System – The Canon 80D has 18 more AF points and all 45 are cross-type, compared to 25 on the K-3 II. They’re faster and more accurate when shooting in low light or places with low contrast.
- LCD Screen – It’s fully articulated whereas the K-3 II only tilts and swivels. The screen has a slightly higher resolution
- Touchscreen – You can tap the screen to select your AF point in both photo and video, as well as navigate through the menus
- Headphone Jack – Helps if you want to monitor the audio quality
- Flash Sync Speed – 1/250 vs 1/180
- Startup Time – The 80D turns on 0.7s seconds quicker
- Built-in Connections – Wi-Fi and NFC for faster file transferring
- Battery Life – 250 shots longer
The Canon 80D wins in the LCD department; it supports touchscreen and is fully articulated. The AF performance is also better and you get built-in Wi-Fi for quickly sharing your shots. Video quality and Dual Pixel AF technology also make it much more usable if you’re serious about video because the K-3 II isn’t really usable here.
You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.
Pentax K-3 II Advantages:
- AA Filter – The Pentax K-3 II allows you to turn the effect of an AA filter on/off. It doesn’t get better than this
- Body Stabilization – The K-3 II has built-in stabilization that works with any lens, manual or auto focus, stabilized or not
- Higher ISO Range – 1 stop higher maximum ISO
- 8 vs 7fps – Enough to make a difference when shooting for more than a few seconds
- LCD Size – 3.2″ vs 3.0″
- Focus Peaking – The K-3 II can highlight what’s in focus. Great for video and manual focusing
- Viewfinder – 100% coverage
- Dual Memory Cards – You can use 2 x SD cards. Great for traveling, backing up or using one for videos only
- JPEG Buffer – 60 vs 53
- Built-in GPS
- USB 3.0 vs 2.0 – Faster file transferring straight out the camera
- Size – The K-3 II is noticeably smaller
- Less Expensive – Body only, the K-3 II costs around $300 less
The Pentax K-3 II’s biggest advantages are most definitely dual memory card slots, built-in image stabilization that works regardless of your lens, built-in GPS and focus peaking. It costs less and is more ideal if you’re serious about wildlife photography, yet don’t want to pay more for the 80D. Both cameras are weather sealed, but the K-3 II is simply better in this department.
You can buy it at Amazon or read more reviews.
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