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Nikon Z5 II vs Pentax K-3 III

The Nikon Z5 II and the Pentax K-3 III are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in April 2025 and March 2021. The Z5 II is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-3 III is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a full frame (Z5 II) and an APS-C (K-3 III) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 24.4 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 25.6 MP.

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

Headline Specifications
Nikon Z5 II
versus
Pentax K-3 III
Nikon Z5 II   Pentax K-3 III
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Nikon Z mount lenses Pentax K mount lenses
24.4 MP – Full Frame sensor 25.6 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/60p Video 4K/30p Video
ISO 100-51,200 (50 - 204,800) ISO 100-160,000
Electronic viewfinder (3690k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.2" LCD – 2100k dots 3.2" LCD – 1620k dots
Swivel touchscreen Fixed touchscreen
14 shutter flaps per second 12 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
330 shots per battery charge800 shots per battery charge
134 x 101 x 72 mm, 700 g 135 x 104 x 74 mm, 820 g
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Check Z5 II price at
amazon.com
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Check K-3 III price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Nikon Z5 II and the Pentax K-3 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 Nikon Z5 II and the Pentax K-3 III 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 size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-3 III can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the Z5 II is only available in black.

Size Nikon Z5 II vs Pentax K-3 III
Compare Z5 II versus K-3 III top
Comparison Z5 II or K-3 III rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-3 III is somewhat larger (4 percent) than the Nikon Z5 II. Moreover, the K-3 III is markedly heavier (17 percent) than the Z5 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 Z5 II gets 330 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL15c battery, while the K-3 III can take 800 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI90 power pack. The power pack in the Z5 II can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

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.

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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 Z5 II 134 mm 101 mm 72 mm 700 g 330 Y Apr 2025 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
2.
 
Pentax K-3 III 135 mm 104 mm 74 mm 820 g 800 Y Mar 2021 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-H1 140 mm 97 mm 86 mm 673 g 310 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 899ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon Z5 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 470 Y Jul 2020 US$ 1 399ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon Z6 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 310 Y Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 410 Y Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Nikon Z6 III 139 mm 102 mm 74 mm 670 g 380 Y Jun 2024 US$ 2 499 amazon.com
8.
 
Nikon Z7 134 mm 101 mm 67 mm 675 g 330 Y Aug 2018 US$ 3 399ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon Z7 II 134 mm 101 mm 70 mm 705 g 420 Y Oct 2020 US$ 2 999 amazon.com
10.
 
Nikon Zf 144 mm 103 mm 49 mm 710 g 380 Y Sep 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic S5 133 mm 98 mm 82 mm 714 g 440 Y Sep 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic S5 II 134 mm 102 mm 90 mm 740 g 370 Y Jan 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
13.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
15.
 
Pentax K-70 126 mm 93 mm 74 mm 688 g 410 Y Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax KP 132 mm 101 mm 76 mm 703 g 390 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A7 III 127 mm 96 mm 74 mm 650 g 610 Y Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.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 obviously take relative prices into account. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The Z5 II was launched at a somewhat lower price (by 15 percent) than the K-3 III, which makes it more attractive for photographers on a tight budget. 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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon Z5 II features a full frame sensor and the Pentax K-3 III an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the K-3 III is 58 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.0 and 1.5. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Nikon Z5 II and Pentax K-3 III sensor measures

Despite having a smaller sensor, the K-3 III offers a slightly higher resolution of 25.6 megapixels, compared with 24.4 MP of the Z5 II. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 3.76μm versus 5.93μm for the Z5 II). Moreover, it should be noted that the Z5 II is much more recent (by 4 years) than the K-3 III, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-3 III has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The Z5 II has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the Z5 II, the K-3 III has the capacity to capture high quality composite images (YESMP) 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 Z5 II has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 51200, which can be extended to ISO 50-204800. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-3 III are ISO 100 to ISO 160000 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the Z5 II is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the K-3 III uses a 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.

Z5 II versus K-3 III MP

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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"). 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.
 
Nikon Z5 II Full Frame 24.4 6048 40324K/60p25.414.8339897
2.
 
Pentax K-3 III APS-C 25.6 6192 41284K/30p24.213.7208385
3.
 
Fujifilm X-H1 APS-C 24.0 6000 40004K/30p24.013.3180682
4.
 
Nikon Z5 Full Frame 24.2 6016 40164K/30p25.314.3292995
5.
 
Nikon Z6 Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/30p25.314.3329995
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.014.4330394
7.
 
Nikon Z6 III Full Frame 24.3 6048 40246K/60p25.414.8331897
8.
 
Nikon Z7 Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/30p26.314.6266899
9.
 
Nikon Z7 II Full Frame 45.4 8256 55044K/60p26.314.72841100
10.
 
Nikon Zf Full Frame 24.3 6048 40244K/60p25.414.7324396
11.
 
Panasonic S5 Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/60p25.114.5269794
12.
 
Panasonic S5 II Full Frame 24.0 6000 40006K/30p25.414.6315896
13.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
15.
 
Pentax K-70 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i23.813.1163980
16.
 
Pentax KP APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.913.2169981
17.
 
Sony A7 III Full Frame 24.0 6000 40004K/30p25.014.7373096
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 Z5 II provides a higher frame rate than the K-3 III. It can shoot video footage at 4K/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 4K/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the Z5 II has an electronic viewfinder (3690k dots), while the K-3 III 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 Z5 II has a higher magnification than the one of the K-3 III (0.80x vs 0.70x), 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 Z5 II and Pentax K-3 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.
 
Nikon Z5 II3690 n3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
2.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIoptical Y3.2 / 1620 fixed Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
3.
 
Fujifilm X-H13690 Y3.0 / 1040 full-flex Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
4.
 
Nikon Z53690 n3.2 / 1040 tilting Y 1/8000s 4.5/s n Y
5.
 
Nikon Z63690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 12.0/s n Y
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
7.
 
Nikon Z6 III5760 Y3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
8.
 
Nikon Z73690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
9.
 
Nikon Z7 II3690 Y3.2 / 2100 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
10.
 
Nikon Zf3690 n3.2 / 2100 swivel Y 1/8000s 14.0/s n Y
11.
 
Panasonic S52360 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 7.0/s n Y
12.
 
Panasonic S5 II3680 n3.0 / 1840 swivel Y 1/8000s 9.0/s n Y
13.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
15.
 
Pentax K-70optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Pentax KPoptical n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/6000s 7.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Sony A7 III2359 n3.0 / 922 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One feature that is present on the K-3 III, but is missing on the Z5 II is a top-level LCD. While being, of course, smaller than the rear screen, the control panel conveys some of the essential shooting information and can be convenient for quick and easy settings verification.

The Z5 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-3 III 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 Z5 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 Z5 II and the Pentax K-3 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the Z5 II and the K-3 III write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras feature dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. However, while the Z5 II supports UHS-II cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 312 MB/s) on both slots, the K-3 III supports UHS-II only on its first slot and UHS-I (data transfer speed up to 104 MB/s) on the second one.

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 Z5 II and Pentax K-3 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.
 
Nikon Z5 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
2.
 
Pentax K-3 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
3.
 
Fujifilm X-H1Ystereo / monoY-micro3.0Y--
4.
 
Nikon Z5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
5.
 
Nikon Z6Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
6.
 
Nikon Z6 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
7.
 
Nikon Z6 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
8.
 
Nikon Z7Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.1Y-Y
9.
 
Nikon Z7 IIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
10.
 
Nikon ZfYstereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
11.
 
Panasonic S5Ystereo / monoYYmicro3.2Y-Y
12.
 
Panasonic S5 IIYstereo / monoYYfull3.2Y-Y
13.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
15.
 
Pentax K-70Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
16.
 
Pentax KPYstereo / monoY--2.0Y--
17.
 
Sony A7 IIIYstereo / monoYYmicro3.1YYY

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-3 III (unlike the Z5 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-3 III has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the Z5 II and the K-3 III are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The K-3 III replaced the earlier Pentax K-3 II, while the Z5 II followed on from the Nikon Z5. 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 is the bottom line? Is the Nikon Z5 II better than the Pentax K-3 III or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Advantages of the Nikon Z5 II:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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 movie framerates (4K/60p versus 4K/30p).
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.80x vs 0.70x).
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (2100k vs 1620k dots).
  • More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
  • More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
  • Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (14 vs 12 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 120g or 15 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.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced segment (15 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 4 years of technical progress since the K-3 III launch.

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Arguments in favor of the Pentax K-3 III:

  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
  • Longer lasting: Gets more shots (800 versus 330) out of a single battery charge.
  • 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.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in March 2021).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the Z5 II is the clear winner of the match-up (19 : 8 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.

Z5 II 19:08 K-3 III

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Nikon Z5 II and the Pentax K-3 III 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 specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the Z5 II or the K-3 III. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. 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 Z5 II............ Apr 2025 US$ 1 699 amazon.com
2.
 
Pentax K-3 III4/5..3/5..4.5/5.. Mar 2021 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
3.
 
Fujifilm X-H1..+5/586/1004.5/54.5/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 899ebay.com
4.
 
Nikon Z54/5..4/589/1004.5/54/5 Jul 2020 US$ 1 399ebay.com
5.
 
Nikon Z65/5..5/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 US$ 1 999ebay.com
6.
 
Nikon Z6 II4.5/5..4/589/1004.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
7.
 
Nikon Z6 III............ Jun 2024 US$ 2 499 amazon.com
8.
 
Nikon Z75/5+4.8/589/1004.5/55/5 Aug 2018 US$ 3 399ebay.com
9.
 
Nikon Z7 II4.5/5..4.5/5..4.5/54.5/5 Oct 2020 US$ 2 999 amazon.com
10.
 
Nikon Zf4.5/5..4.5/590/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
11.
 
Panasonic S54.5/5+ +4.5/588/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2020 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
12.
 
Panasonic S5 II4.5/5+ +5/590/1004.5/55/5 Jan 2023 US$ 1 999 amazon.com
13.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
15.
 
Pentax K-704.5/5..4/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax KP4/5..3/582/1005/54.5/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
17.
 
Sony A7 III..+ +4.5/589/1005/55/5 Feb 2018 US$ 1 999 amazon.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. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, 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.

logo
Check Z5 II price at
amazon.com
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Check K-3 III price at
amazon.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. Alternatively, you can follow any of the listed hyperlinks for comparisons that others found interesting.

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    Specifications: Nikon Z5 II vs Pentax K-3 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 Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Nikon Z mount lenses Pentax K mount lenses
    Launch Date April 2025 March 2021
    Launch Price USD 1,699 USD 1,999
    Sensor Specs Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    Sensor Technology BSI-CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Full Frame Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 35.9 x 23.9 mm 23.3 x 15.5 mm
    Sensor Area 858.01 mm2 361.15 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 43.1 mm 28 mm
    Crop Factor 1.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 24.4 Megapixels 25.6 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 6048 x 4032 pixels 6192 x 4128 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 5.93 μm 3.76 μm
    Pixel Density 2.84 MP/cm2 7.08 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 4K/60p Video 4K/30p Video
    ISO Setting 100 - 51,200 ISO 100 - 160,000 ISO
    ISO Boost 50 - 204,800 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor EXPEED 7 PRIME V
    Screen Specs Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.80x 0.70x
    Viewfinder Resolution 3690k dots
    Top-Level Screen no Top Display Control Panel
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.2inch 3.2inch
    LCD Resolution 2100k dots 1620k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Fixed screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    Focus System On-Sensor Phase-detect Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing AidFocus PeakingFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/8000s 1/8000s
    Continuous Shooting 14 shutter flaps/s 12 shutter flaps/s
    Shutter Life Expectancy200 000 actuations200 000 actuations
    Electronic Shutterup to 1/8000sno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationIn-body stabilizationIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash no On-Board Flash no On-Board Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Dual card slots Dual card slots
    UHS card support Dual UHS-II Single UHS-II
    Connectivity Specs Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash no PC Sync PC Sync socket
    USB Connector USB 3.2 USB 3.2
    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 Bluetooth built-in
    Geotagging no internal GPS GPS built-in
    Body Specs Nikon Z5 II Pentax K-3 III
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Nikon EN-EL15c Pentax D-LI90
    Battery Life (CIPA)330 shots per charge800 shots per charge
    In-Camera Charging USB charging no USB charging
    Body Dimensions 134 x 101 x 72 mm
    (5.3 x 4.0 x 2.8 in)
    135 x 104 x 74 mm
    (5.3 x 4.1 x 2.9 in)
    Camera Weight 700 g (24.7 oz) 820 g (28.9 oz)
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    Check K-3 III price at
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