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Pentax K-5 II vs Sony A9 III

The Pentax K-5 II and the Sony Alpha A9 III are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2012 and November 2023. The K-5 II is a DSLR, while the A9 III is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on an APS-C (K-5 II) and a full frame (A9 III) sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Pentax K-5 II
versus
Sony A9 III
Pentax K-5 II   Sony A9 III
Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
Pentax K mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor 24 MP – Full Frame sensor
1080/25p Video 4K/120p Video
ISO 100-12,800 (80 - 51,200) ISO 250-25,600 (125 - 51,200)
Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder (9440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots 3.2" LCD – 2100k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive) Fully flexible touchscreen
7 shutter flaps per second 120 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
740 shots per battery charge530 shots per battery charge
131 x 97 x 73 mm, 760 g 136 x 97 x 83 mm, 702 g
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Check K-5 II offers at
ebay.com
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Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-5 II and the Sony Alpha A9 III? 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 Pentax K-5 II and the Sony A9 III are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

Size Pentax K-5 II vs Sony A9 III
Compare K-5 II versus A9 III top
Comparison K-5 II or A9 III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony A9 III is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Pentax K-5 II. However, the A9 III is markedly lighter (8 percent) than the K-5 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.

Concerning battery life, the K-5 II gets 740 shots out of its Pentax D-LI90 battery, while the A9 III can take 530 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FZ100 power pack. The power pack in the A9 III can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons 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.
 
Pentax K-5 II 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2012 EUR 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 III 136 mm 97 mm 83 mm 702 g 530 Y Nov 2023 EUR 6 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Df 144 mm 110 mm 67 mm 760 g 1400 Y Nov 2013 EUR 2 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 EUR 1 099ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 EUR 1 099ebay.com
6.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 EUR 1 299ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 EUR 999ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-5 131 mm 97 mm 73 mm 760 g 740 Y Sep 2010 EUR 999ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax K-30 130 mm 97 mm 71 mm 650 g 410 Y May 2012 EUR 899ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-50 130 mm 97 mm 71 mm 650 g 410 Y Jun 2013 EUR 649ebay.com
11.
 
Pentax K-500 130 mm 97 mm 71 mm 646 g 710 n Jun 2013 EUR 599ebay.com
12.
 
Pentax KP 132 mm 101 mm 76 mm 703 g 390 Y Jan 2017 EUR 1 299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A1 II 136 mm 97 mm 83 mm 743 g 520 Y Nov 2024 EUR 7 499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II 127 mm 96 mm 60 mm 599 g 350 Y Nov 2014 EUR 2 099ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 EUR 2 299 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A9 127 mm 96 mm 63 mm 673 g 650 Y Apr 2017 EUR 5 299ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II 129 mm 96 mm 76 mm 678 g 690 Y Oct 2019 EUR 5 399 amazon.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The K-5 II was launched at a markedly lower price (by 82 percent) than the A9 III, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Pentax K-5 II features an APS-C sensor and the Sony A9 III a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the A9 III is 128 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.

Pentax K-5 II and Sony A9 III sensor measures

With 24MP, the A9 III offers a higher resolution than the K-5 II (16.1MP), but the A9 III nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 5.94μm versus 4.81μm for the K-5 II) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the A9 III is a much more recent model (by 11 years and 1 month) than the K-5 II, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units.

The resolution advantage of the Sony A9 III implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the A9 III for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Pentax K-5 II are 24.6 x 16.3 inches or 62.6 x 41.5 cm for good quality, 19.7 x 13.1 inches or 50.1 x 33.2 cm for very good quality, and 16.4 x 10.9 inches or 41.7 x 27.6 cm for excellent quality prints.

The A9 III has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Pentax K-5 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha A9 III are ISO 250 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 125-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the K-5 II is build around a CMOS sensor, while the A9 III uses a Stacked CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

K-5 II versus A9 III MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

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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.
 
Pentax K-5 II APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.814.1123582
2.
 
Sony A9 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/120p25.414.7324396
3.
 
Nikon Df Full Frame 16.2 4928 3280none24.613.1327989
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
6.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
7.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
8.
 
Pentax K-5 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/25p23.714.1116282
9.
 
Pentax K-30 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/30p23.713.0112979
10.
 
Pentax K-50 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/30p23.713.0112079
11.
 
Pentax K-500 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/30p23.713.1108779
12.
 
Pentax KP APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.913.2169981
13.
 
Sony A1 II Full Frame 49.8 8640 57608k/30p25.414.8336397
14.
 
Sony A7 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40001080/60p24.913.6244990
15.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
16.
 
Sony A9 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.913.3351792
17.
 
Sony A9 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.0343493
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the A9 III provides a better video resolution than the K-5 II. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/120p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/25p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the A9 III has an electronic viewfinder (9440k dots), while the K-5 II 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 A9 III has a higher magnification than the one of the K-5 II (0.9x vs 0.61x), 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 Pentax K-5 II and Sony A9 III 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.
 
Pentax K-5 IIoptical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
2.
 
Sony A9 III9440 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/80000s 120.0/s n Y
3.
 
Nikon Dfoptical Y3.2 / 921 fixed n 1/4000s 5.5/s n n
4.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
7.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
8.
 
Pentax K-5optical Y3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/8000s 7.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Pentax K-30optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
10.
 
Pentax K-50optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
11.
 
Pentax K-500optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
12.
 
Pentax KPoptical n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/6000s 7.0/s Y Y
13.
 
Sony A1 II9437 n3.2 / 2100 full-flex Y 1/8000s 30.0/s n Y
14.
 
Sony A7 II2400 n3.0 / 1230 tilting n 1/8000s 5.0/s n Y
15.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
16.
 
Sony A93686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/s n Y
17.
 
Sony A9 II3686 n3.0 / 1440 tilting Y 1/8000s 20.0/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 K-5 II has one, while the A9 III does not. While the built-in flash of the K-5 II is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The A9 III has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This characteristic will be appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies. In contrast, the K-5 II 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 A9 III 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 Pentax K-5 II and the Sony A9 III 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.

The K-5 II writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the A9 III uses CFexpress (type A) or SDXC cards. The A9 III features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the K-5 II only has one slot. The A9 III supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s), while the K-5 II cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 Pentax K-5 II and Sony Alpha A9 III 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.
 
Pentax K-5 IIYstereo / monoY-mini2.0---
2.
 
Sony A9 IIIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Nikon DfY- / ---mini2.0---
4.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
7.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
8.
 
Pentax K-5Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
9.
 
Pentax K-30Ymono / mono---2.0---
10.
 
Pentax K-50Ymono / mono--micro2.0---
11.
 
Pentax K-500Ymono / mono---2.0---
12.
 
Pentax KPYstereo / monoY--2.0Y--
13.
 
Sony A1 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
14.
 
Sony A7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
15.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY
16.
 
Sony A9Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YYY
17.
 
Sony A9 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

It is notable that the A9 III offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the K-5 II does not provide wifi capability.

Both cameras feature a PC Sync terminal to control professional strobe lights, which will be appreciated by studio photographers.

The A9 III is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Sony. In contrast, the K-5 II has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the K-5 II was succeeded by the Pentax K-3. Further information on the features and operation of the K-5 II and A9 III can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-5 II Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony A9 III Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Pentax K-5 II and the Sony A9 III? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-5 II:

  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features an LCD display on top to control shooting parameters.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (740 versus 530) on a single battery charge.
  • Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (82 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

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Advantages of the Sony Alpha A9 III:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 16.1MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/120p vs 1080/25p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.9x vs 0.61x).
  • Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 3.0") for image review and settings control.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 921k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/80000s vs 1/8000s) to freeze action.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (120 vs 7 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
  • Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
  • Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
  • Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
  • Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-II standard.
  • More modern: Reflects 11 years and 1 month of technical progress since the K-5 II launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the A9 III is the clear winner of the contest (27 : 6 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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.

K-5 II 06:27 A9 III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Pentax K-5 II and the Sony A9 III place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the K-5 II and the A9 III in practical situations. 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 adjacent summary-table relays the overall verdicts of several of the most popular 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.
 
Pentax K-5 II5/5....80/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2012 EUR 999ebay.com
2.
 
Sony A9 III4.5/5....91/100.... Nov 2023 EUR 6 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Nikon Df4/5....81/1004/54/5 Nov 2013 EUR 2 999ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 EUR 1 099ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 EUR 1 099ebay.com
6.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 EUR 1 299ebay.com
7.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 EUR 999ebay.com
8.
 
Pentax K-54/5....83/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2010 EUR 999ebay.com
9.
 
Pentax K-304/5....78/1004.5/54.5/5 May 2012 EUR 899ebay.com
10.
 
Pentax K-505/5......5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 EUR 649ebay.com
11.
 
Pentax K-500........4.5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 EUR 599ebay.com
12.
 
Pentax KP4/5..3/582/1005/54.5/5 Jan 2017 EUR 1 299ebay.com
13.
 
Sony A1 II............ Nov 2024 EUR 7 499 amazon.com
14.
 
Sony A7 II5/5+4/582/1004.5/55/5 Nov 2014 EUR 2 099ebay.com
15.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 EUR 2 299 amazon.com
16.
 
Sony A95/5+ +4.8/589/1005/55/5 Apr 2017 EUR 5 299ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A9 II....5/590/1005/55/5 Oct 2019 EUR 5 399 amazon.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparing ratings of very distinct cameras or ones that are far apart in terms of their release date have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Check K-5 II offers at
ebay.com
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Check A9 III price at
amazon.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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    Specifications: Pentax K-5 II vs Sony A9 III

    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 Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    Camera Type Digital single lens reflex Mirrorless system camera
    Camera Lens Pentax K mount lenses Sony E mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2012 November 2023
    Launch Price USD 1,099 USD 5,999
    Sensor Specs Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    Sensor Technology CMOS Stacked CMOS
    Sensor Format APS-C Sensor Full Frame Sensor
    Sensor Size 23.7 x 15.7 mm 35.6 x 23.8 mm
    Sensor Area 372.09 mm2 847.28 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 28.4 mm 42.8 mm
    Crop Factor 1.5x 1.0x
    Sensor Resolution 16.1 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4928 x 3264 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 4.81 μm 5.94 μm
    Pixel Density 4.32 MP/cm2 2.83 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter Anti-Alias filter
    Movie Capability 1080/25p Video 4K/120p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 12,800 ISO 250 - 25,600 ISO
    ISO Boost 80 - 51,200 ISO 125 - 51,200 ISO
    Image Processor PRIME II Dual BIONZ XR
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 82 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 23.8 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 14.1 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 1235 ..
    Screen Specs Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    Viewfinder Type Optical viewfinder Electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.61x 0.9x
    Viewfinder Resolution 9440k dots
    Top-Level Screen Control Panel no Top Display
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 921k dots 2100k dots
    LCD Attachment Fixed screen Fully flexible screen
    Touch Input no Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    Focus System Phase-detect AF On-Sensor Phase-detect
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/80000s
    Continuous Shooting 7 shutter flaps/s 120 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic Shutterno E-Shutterup to 1/80000s
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards CFexA or SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Dual card slots
    UHS card support no UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 3.2
    HDMI Port mini HDMI full HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket no Headphone port Headphone port
    Wifi Support no Wifi Wifi built-in
    Bluetooth Support no Bluetooth Bluetooth built-in
    Body Specs Pentax K-5 II Sony A9 III
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Pentax D-LI90 Sony NP-FZ100
    Battery Life (CIPA)740 shots per charge530 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging no USB charging USB charging
    Body Dimensions 131 x 97 x 73 mm
    (5.2 x 3.8 x 2.9 in)
    136 x 97 x 83 mm
    (5.4 x 3.8 x 3.3 in)
    Camera Weight 760 g (26.8 oz) 702 g (24.8 oz)
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