Pentax K-500 vs Sony NEX-C3

The Pentax K-500 and the Sony Alpha NEX-C3 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in June 2013 and June 2011. The K-500 is a DSLR, while the NEX-C3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. Both cameras are equipped with an APS-C sensor. The Pentax has a resolution of 16.1 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 16 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Pentax K-500		Sony NEX-C3
Digital single lens reflex		Mirrorless system camera
Pentax K mount lenses		Sony E mount lenses
16.1 MP – APS-C sensor		16 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/30p Video		720/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200		ISO 100-12,800
Optical viewfinder		Viewfinder optional
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 920k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
6 shutter flaps per second		5.5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
710 shots per battery charge		400 shots per battery charge
130 x 97 x 71 mm, 646 g		110 x 60 x 33 mm, 225 g

Check K-500 offers at
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Pentax K-500 and the Sony Alpha NEX-C3? 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.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Pentax K-500 and the Sony NEX-C3. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The NEX-C3 can be obtained in three different colors (black, silver, pink), while the K-500 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Sony NEX-C3 is considerably smaller (48 percent) than the Pentax K-500. Moreover, the NEX-C3 is substantially lighter (65 percent) than the K-500. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the K-500 nor the NEX-C3 are weather-sealed.

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 following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Pentax K-500	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	646 g	710	n	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-C3	110 mm	60 mm	33 mm	225 g	400	n	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10	119 mm	82 mm	46 mm	396 g	320	n	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M10 II	120 mm	83 mm	47 mm	390 g	320	n	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL5	111 mm	64 mm	38 mm	325 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL7	115 mm	67 mm	38 mm	357 g	350	n	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PM2	110 mm	64 mm	34 mm	269 g	360	n	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-5	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-5 II	131 mm	97 mm	73 mm	760 g	740	Y	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-30	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-50	130 mm	97 mm	71 mm	650 g	410	Y	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S1	121 mm	93 mm	70 mm	558 g	410	n	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	110 mm	62 mm	35 mm	269 g	480	n	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	287 g	330	n	May 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-5N	111 mm	59 mm	38 mm	269 g	460	n	Aug 2011	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-F3	117 mm	67 mm	42 mm	314 g	470	n	May 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 K-500 was somewhat cheaper (by 8 percent) than the NEX-C3 at launch, but both cameras fall into the same price category. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units 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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature an APS-C sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the NEX-C3 is 1 percent smaller. They nevertheless have the same format factor of 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

With 16.1MP, the K-500 offers a slightly higher resolution than the NEX-C3 (16MP), but the K-500 has marginally smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.77μm versus 4.78μm for the NEX-C3). However, the K-500 is a much more recent model (by 2 years) than the NEX-C3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels.

The Pentax K-500 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Alpha NEX-C3 are ISO 100 to ISO 12800 (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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). Of the two cameras under review, the K-500 has a notably higher overall DXO score than the NEX-C3 (overall score 6 points higher), which gives it an advantage in terms of imaging quality. This advantage is based on 1 bits higher color depth, 0.9 EV in additional dynamic range, and 0 stops in additional low light sensitivity. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Pentax K-500	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.1	1087	79
2.		Sony NEX-C3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	720/30p	22.7	12.2	1083	73
3.		Olympus E-M10	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	884	72
4.		Olympus E-M10 II	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/60p	23.1	12.5	842	73
5.		Olympus E-PL5	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.8	12.3	889	72
6.		Olympus E-PL7	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.4	873	72
7.		Olympus E-PM2	Four Thirds	15.9	4608	3456	1080/30p	22.7	12.2	932	72
8.		Pentax K-5	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.7	14.1	1162	82
9.		Pentax K-5 II	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/25p	23.8	14.1	1235	82
10.		Pentax K-30	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1129	79
11.		Pentax K-50	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.7	13.0	1120	79
12.		Pentax K-S1	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.5	13.0	1061	78
13.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
14.		Sony NEX-3N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.8	12.5	1067	74
15.		Sony NEX-5	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	1080/60i	22.2	12.2	796	69
16.		Sony NEX-5N	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	23.6	12.7	1079	77
17.		Sony NEX-F3	APS-C	16.0	4912	3264	1080/60i	22.7	12.3	1114	73

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, but the K-500 provides a higher video resolution than the NEX-C3. It can shoot video footage at 1080/30p, while the Sony is limited to 720/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the K-500 has an optical viewfinder, which can be very useful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the NEX-C3 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. That said, the NEX-C3 can be equipped with an optional viewfinder – the FDA-SV1. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Pentax K-500 and Sony NEX-C3 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

		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-500	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony NEX-C3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	n	n
3.		Olympus E-M10	1440	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Olympus E-M10 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Olympus E-PL5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
6.		Olympus E-PL7	optional	n	3.0 / 1037	tilting	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
7.		Olympus E-PM2	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	Y	1/4000s	8.0/s	n	Y
8.		Pentax K-5	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Pentax K-5 II	optical	Y	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Pentax K-30	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Pentax K-50	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	6.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Pentax K-S1	optical	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/6000s	5.4/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
14.		Sony NEX-3N	optional	n	3.0 / 460	tilting	n	1/4000s	4.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony NEX-5	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
16.		Sony NEX-5N	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	n	n
17.		Sony NEX-F3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	5.5/s	Y	n
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-500 has one, while the NEX-C3 does not. While the built-in flash of the K-500 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Pentax K-500 has 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-500 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the NEX-C3 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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-500 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Pentax K-500	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony NEX-C3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Olympus E-M10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
4.		Olympus E-M10 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
5.		Olympus E-PL5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Olympus E-PL7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
7.		Olympus E-PM2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Pentax K-5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Pentax K-5 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Pentax K-30	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Pentax K-50	Y	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Pentax K-S1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Sony NEX-3N	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Sony NEX-5	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Sony NEX-5N	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony NEX-F3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

Both the K-500 and the NEX-C3 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Pentax and Sony. Further information on the features and operation of the K-500 and NEX-C3 can be found, respectively, in the Pentax K-500 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony NEX-C3 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Pentax K-500 better than the Sony NEX-C3 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer the Pentax K-500:

• Better image quality: Scores markedly higher (6 points) in the DXO overall assessment.
• More dynamic range: Captures a larger spectrum of light and dark details (0.9 EV of extra DR).
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (1080/30p vs 720/30p).
• Easier framing: Has an optical viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (710 versus 400) on a single battery charge.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years of technical progress since the NEX-C3 launch.

Advantages of the Sony Alpha NEX-C3:

• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• More compact: Is smaller (110x60mm vs 130x97mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 421g or 65 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• More legacy lens friendly: Can use many non-native lenses via adapters.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in June 2011).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-500 is the clear winner of the match-up (10 : 6 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Pentax K-500 and the Sony NEX-C3 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 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 K-500 or the NEX-C3 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 expert reviews 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Pentax K-500	..	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 549	ebay.com
2.		Sony NEX-C3	3/5	+ +	..	74/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2011	US$ 599	ebay.com
3.		Olympus E-M10	4/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Jan 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
4.		Olympus E-M10 II	4.5/5	+ +	..	80/100	5/5	5/5	Aug 2015	US$ 649	ebay.com
5.		Olympus E-PL5	3/5	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
6.		Olympus E-PL7	4/5	+	..	..	5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 599	ebay.com
7.		Olympus E-PM2	3/5	..	..	77/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
8.		Pentax K-5	4/5	..	..	83/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
9.		Pentax K-5 II	5/5	..	..	80/100	5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 1 099	ebay.com
10.		Pentax K-30	4/5	..	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 849	ebay.com
11.		Pentax K-50	5/5	..	..	..	5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2013	US$ 599	ebay.com
12.		Pentax K-S1	4/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Aug 2014	US$ 749	ebay.com
13.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 599	ebay.com
14.		Sony NEX-3N	3/5	..	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2013	US$ 499	ebay.com
15.		Sony NEX-5	3/5	+ +	..	71/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	US$ 699	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-5N	3/5	+ +	..	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 699	ebay.com
17.		Sony NEX-F3	4/5	..	..	74/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	May 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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