First Camera / Beginner Photography — EOS R100 (2023): The R100 does the basics well at the lowest possible price point. Its main value is as a gateway into the Canon RF ecosystem — the lenses you buy now will work on any Canon body you upgrade to later. Modest ambitions, reliably met.
Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers — Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021): The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
EOS R100 (2023)
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
A6400 (2019)
Quick take: The pentax k-3 mark iii has the highest resolution at 26mp; the eos r100 is the most affordable; only the pentax k-3 mark iii is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | EOS R100 (2023) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £529 | £1,699 | £899 |
| Sensor | 24.1MP APS-C CMOS | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | 24.1MP | 25.7MP | 24.2MP |
| Video | 4K/30p (slight crop), 1080p/60p | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Pixel CMOS AF, face detection, subject tracking | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | None (no IBIS) | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | 6.5fps mechanical | 12fps | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | ~270 shots (CIPA) | 800 shots (CIPA) | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 356g (body, battery, card) | 820g body only | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 116.3 × 85.5 × 68.8mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | No | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.59× magnification | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | 3.0" fixed touchscreen, 1.04M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF-mount | Pentax KF-mount | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | Single SD UHS-II | Dual SD UHS-II | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Compare pairs from this group