Hero 13 Blackvs Pentax K-3 Mark III
GoPro
Hero 13 Black (2024)
Starting from £380 new
Best for Professional content creators & adventure filmmakers
View Hero 13 Black
Pentax
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
Starting from £1699 new
Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers
View Pentax K-3 Mark III
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
Professional Content Creators & Adventure Filmmakers — Hero 13 Black (2024): The most capable GoPro ever — interchangeable lenses and GP-Log open up professional possibilities that no previous action camera could touch.
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.
Who should buy what
Hero 13 Black (2024)
- Professional filmmakers who want cinematic action footage with lens choice
- Hero 12 owners who want GP-Log and interchangeable lenses
- Content creators who need the absolute best GoPro available
- Those who want anamorphic or macro lens mods for creative video work
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
- DSLR photographers who want the finest APS-C optical viewfinder experience
- Outdoor and weather photographers who need robust all-weather sealing
- Pentax lens owners who want to use their existing K-mount glass
- Photographers who prefer optical viewfinders and refuse to switch to mirrorless
Quick take: The hero 13 black has the highest resolution at 27mp; the hero 13 black is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | Hero 13 Black (2024) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £380 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 1/1.9-inch CMOS | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) |
| Resolution | 27.0MP | 25.7MP |
| Video | 5.3K/60p, 4K/120p, 2.7K/240p, 1080p/400p slow-mo | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Fixed focus (ultra-wide); varies with lens mod | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | HyperSmooth 6.0 | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) |
| Burst Rate | 27MP RAW burst | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~80 min at 5.3K/30p (Enduro battery) | 800 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 154g | 820g body only |
| Dimensions | 71.8 × 50.8 × 33.6mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | 2.27" rear touchscreen + 1.4" front display | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification |
| Screen | 2.27" rear touchscreen; 1.4" front colour display | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | GoPro mounting ecosystem + magnetic latch system | Pentax KF-mount |
| Memory Cards | microSD up to 1TB (V30 minimum) | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | Hero 13 Black | Pentax K-3 Mark III |
|---|---|---|
| Adventure & Sports | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | ||
| Underwater | — | |
| Travel | ||
| Cycling & Hiking | — | |
| Professional | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Portrait | — |
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