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Nikon Z50 II vs Pentax K-1

The Nikon Z50 II and the Pentax K-1 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in November 2024 and February 2016. The Z50 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-1 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an APS-C (Z50 II) and a full frame (K-1) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 20.7 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Nikon Z50 II
versus
Pentax K-1
Nikon Z50 II   Pentax K-1
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Nikon Z mount lenses Pentax K mount lenses
20.7 MP – APS-C sensor 36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/60p Video 1080/60i Video
ISO 100-51,200 (100 - 204,800) ISO 100-204,800
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 1040k dots 3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Swivel touchscreen Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
11 shutter flaps per second 4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
250 shots per battery charge760 shots per battery charge
127 x 97 x 67 mm, 550 g 137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g
logo
Check Z50 II price at
amazon.com
logo
Check K-1 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z50 II and the Pentax K-1? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Nikon Z50 II and the Pentax K-1 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-1 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Z50 II is only available in black.

Size Nikon Z50 II vs Pentax K-1
Compare Z50 II versus K-1 top
Comparison Z50 II or K-1 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-1 is notably larger (22 percent) than the Nikon Z50 II. Moreover, the K-1 is substantially heavier (84 percent) than the Z50 II. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

The power pack in the Z50 II can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras there.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z50 II 127 mm 97 mm 67 mm 550 g 250 Y Nov 2024 US$ 909 amazon.com
2.
 
Pentax K-1 137 mm 110 mm 86 mm 1010 g 760 Y Feb 2016 US$ 1 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV 151 mm 116 mm 76 mm 890 g 900 Y Aug 2016 US$ 3 499 amazon.com
4.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2 141 mm 83 mm 46 mm 495 g 350 Y Jan 2016 US$ 1 699ebay.com
5.
 
Fujifilm X-T2 133 mm 92 mm 49 mm 507 g 340 Y Jul 2016 US$ 1 599ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D500 147 mm 115 mm 81 mm 860 g 1240 Y Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D5200 129 mm 98 mm 78 mm 555 g 500 n Nov 2012 US$ 749ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D5300 125 mm 98 mm 76 mm 480 g 600 n Oct 2013 US$ 799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D5500 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 470 g 820 n Jan 2015 US$ 899ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D5600 124 mm 97 mm 70 mm 465 g 970 n Nov 2016 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D7500 136 mm 104 mm 73 mm 720 g 950 Y Apr 2017 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
12.
 
Nikon Z30 128 mm 74 mm 60 mm 405 g 330 Y Jun 2022 US$ 709 amazon.com
13.
 
Nikon Z50 127 mm 94 mm 60 mm 450 g 320 Y Oct 2019 US$ 859 amazon.com
14.
 
Nikon Z fc 135 mm 94 mm 44 mm 445 g 300 n Jun 2021 US$ 959 amazon.com
15.
 
Pentax K-1 II 137 mm 110 mm 86 mm 1010 g 670 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IIIA 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 650 Y Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A99 II 143 mm 104 mm 76 mm 849 g 490 Y Sep 2016 US$ 3 199ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Z50 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 49 percent) than the K-1, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon Z50 II features an APS-C sensor and the Pentax K-1 a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the K-1 is 134 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.5 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Nikon Z50 II and Pentax K-1 sensor measures

With 36.2MP, the K-1 offers a higher resolution than the Z50 II (20.7MP), but the K-1 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 4.22μm for the Z50 II) due to its larger sensor. However, the Z50 II is a much more recent model (by 8 years and 8 months) than the K-1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-1 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon Z50 II are 27.8 x 18.6 inches or 70.7 x 47.1 cm for good quality, 22.3 x 14.8 inches or 56.6 x 37.7 cm for very good quality, and 18.6 x 12.4 inches or 47.1 x 31.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Z50 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the Z50 II, the K-1 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Nikon Z50 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 100-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 are ISO 100 to ISO 204800 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Z50 II versus K-1 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Nikon Z50 II APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/60p24.314.1246786
2.
 
Pentax K-1 Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60i25.414.6328096
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV Full Frame 30.1 6720 44804K/30p24.813.6299591
4.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p23.713.0160880
5.
 
Fujifilm X-T2 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p23.813.1165381
6.
 
Nikon D500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.014.0132483
7.
 
Nikon D5200 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i24.213.9128484
8.
 
Nikon D5300 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.013.9133883
9.
 
Nikon D5500 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0143884
10.
 
Nikon D5600 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.114.0130684
11.
 
Nikon D7500 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.314.0148386
12.
 
Nikon Z30 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.313.9223086
13.
 
Nikon Z50 APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.113.6196384
14.
 
Nikon Z fc APS-C 20.7 5568 37124K/30p24.213.8213185
15.
 
Pentax K-1 II Full Frame 36.2 7360 49121080/60i25.114.0269893
16.
 
Sony A7R IIIA Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p26.014.73523100
17.
 
Sony A99 II Full Frame 42.2 7952 53044K/30p25.413.4231792
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the Z50 II provides a higher video resolution than the K-1. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the Z50 II has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), while the K-1 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the K-1 has a higher magnification than the one of the Z50 II (0.70x vs 0.68x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Nikon Z50 II and Pentax K-1 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Nikon Z50 II2360 n3.2 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
2.
 
Pentax K-1optical Y3.2 / 1037 full-flex n 1/8000s 4.4/s n Y
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n n
4.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro22360 n3.0 / 1620 fixed n 1/8000s 8.0/s n n
5.
 
Fujifilm X-T22360 n3.0 / 1040 full-flex n 1/8000s 8.0/s n n
6.
 
Nikon D500optical Y3.2 / 2359 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n n
7.
 
Nikon D5200optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
8.
 
Nikon D5300optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel n 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
9.
 
Nikon D5500optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
10.
 
Nikon D5600optical n3.2 / 1037 swivel Y 1/4000s 5.0/s Y n
11.
 
Nikon D7500optical Y3.2 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 8.0/s Y n
12.
 
Nikon Z30none n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
13.
 
Nikon Z502360 n3.2 / 1040 tilting Y 1/4000s 11.0/s Y n
14.
 
Nikon Z fc2360 Y3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 11.0/s n n
15.
 
Pentax K-1 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 full-flex n 1/8000s 4.4/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A7R IIIA3686 n3.0 / 2340 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A99 II2400 Y3.0 / 1229 full-flex n 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The Z50 II has one, while the K-1 does not. While the built-in flash of the Z50 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Z50 II has an articulated LCD that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in snapping selfies. In contrast, the K-1 does not have a selfie-screen.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the Z50 II is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Nikon Z50 II and the Pentax K-1 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Z50 II and the K-1 write their files to SDXC cards. The K-1 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the Z50 II only has one slot. The Z50 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the K-1 can use UHS-I cards (up to 104 MB/s).

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Nikon Z50 II and Pentax K-1 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Nikon Z50 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.0Y-Y
2.
 
Pentax K-1Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y--
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IVYmono / monoYYmini3.0YY-
4.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
5.
 
Fujifilm X-T2Ystereo / monoY-micro3.0Y--
6.
 
Nikon D500Ystereo / monoYYmini3.0YYY
7.
 
Nikon D5200Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
8.
 
Nikon D5300Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
9.
 
Nikon D5500Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
10.
 
Nikon D5600Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YYY
11.
 
Nikon D7500Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y-Y
12.
 
Nikon Z30Ystereo / monoY-micro3.2Y-Y
13.
 
Nikon Z50Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y-Y
14.
 
Nikon Z fcYstereo / monoY-micro3.2Y-Y
15.
 
Pentax K-1 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0Y--
16.
 
Sony A7R IIIAYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2YYY
17.
 
Sony A99 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-1 (unlike the Z50 II) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-1 has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The Z50 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Nikon. In contrast, the K-1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the K-1 was succeeded by the Pentax K-1 II. Further information on the two cameras (e.g. user guides, manuals), as well as related accessories, can be found on the official Nikon and Pentax websites.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Nikon Z50 II better than the Pentax K-1 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Advantages of the Nikon Z50 II:

  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/60p vs 1080/60i).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (11 vs 4.4 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • More compact: Is smaller (127x97mm vs 137x110mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 460g or 46 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.0 vs 2.0).
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Supports a more advanced SD data transfer standard (UHS-II vs UHS-I).
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (49 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 8 years and 8 months of technical progress since the K-1 launch.

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Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-1:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 20.7MP), which boosts linear resolution by 32%.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.68x).
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (760 versus 250) out of a single battery charge.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in February 2016).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the Z50 II is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 12 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

Z50 II 17:12 K-1

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z50 II and the Pentax K-1 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the Z50 II or the K-1 perform in practice. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Nikon Z50 II......88/100.... Nov 2024 US$ 909 amazon.com
2.
 
Pentax K-15/5....84/1005/55/5 Feb 2016 US$ 1 799ebay.com
3.
 
Canon 5D Mark IV4.5/5+ +4/587/1004.5/54.5/5 Aug 2016 US$ 3 499 amazon.com
4.
 
Fujifilm X-Pro2..+..83/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 699ebay.com
5.
 
Fujifilm X-T25/5+ +..86/1004.5/55/5 Jul 2016 US$ 1 599ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon D5005/5+ +4.7/591/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2016 US$ 1 999ebay.com
7.
 
Nikon D52004/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Nov 2012 US$ 749ebay.com
8.
 
Nikon D53004/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2013 US$ 799ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon D55005/5+..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Jan 2015 US$ 899ebay.com
10.
 
Nikon D56004/5..4/579/1004.5/54/5 Nov 2016 US$ 699ebay.com
11.
 
Nikon D75004.5/5+ +4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Apr 2017 US$ 1 299 amazon.com
12.
 
Nikon Z304/5..4/586/1004.5/54/5 Jun 2022 US$ 709 amazon.com
13.
 
Nikon Z505/5..5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2019 US$ 859 amazon.com
14.
 
Nikon Z fc4/5..4.5/586/1005/54.5/5 Jun 2021 US$ 959 amazon.com
15.
 
Pentax K-1 II....4.5/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A7R IIIA..+ +4/590/1004.5/55/5 Apr 2021 US$ 3 199 amazon.com
17.
 
Sony A99 II....4.5/585/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 3 199ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Check Z50 II price at
amazon.com
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Check K-1 offers at
ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Nikon Z50 II vs Pentax K-1

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Pentax K mount lenses
    Launch Date November 2024 February 2016
    Launch Price USD 909 USD 1,799
    Sensor Specs Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.5 x 15.7 mm 35.9 x 24.0 mm
    Sensor Area 368.95 mm2 861.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.3 mm 43.2 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 20.7 Megapixels 36.2 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 5568 x 3712 pixels 7360 x 4912 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.22 μm 4.88 μm
    Pixel Density 5.60 MP/cm2 4.20 MP/cm2
    Moiré control no AA filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/60p Video 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 204,800 ISO
    ISO Boost 100 - 204,800 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor EXPEED 7 PRIME IV
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) .. 96
    DXO Color Depth (bits) .. 25.4
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) .. 14.6
    DXO Low Light (ISO) .. 3280
    Screen Specs Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.68x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 2360k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 1040k dots 1037k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Fully flexible screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 11 shutter flaps/s 4.4 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/4000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support UHS-II UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port micro HDMI micro HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support Bluetooth built-in no Bluetooth
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Nikon Z50 II Pentax K-1
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL25a Pentax D-LI90
    Battery Life (CIPA)250 shots per charge760 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 127 x 97 x 67 mm
    (5.0 x 3.8 x 2.6 in)
    137 x 110 x 86 mm
    (5.4 x 4.3 x 3.4 in)
    Camera Weight 550 g (19.4 oz) 1010 g (35.6 oz)
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