D6vs Pentax K-3 Mark III
Nikon
D6 (2020)
Starting from £3200 new
Best for Professional Sports, Press & Wildlife Photography
View D6
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 Sports, Press & Wildlife Photography — D6 (2020): Nikon's final and finest DSLR — the D6 brought 105 all-cross-type AF points, 14fps, and built-in LAN to the F mount. The last word in optical viewfinder photography.
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
D6 (2020)
- Sports, wildlife, and press photographers who prefer an optical viewfinder
- Professional Nikon shooters with a substantial F-mount lens collection
- Photojournalists who need built-in LAN for wire transmission
- Nikon system professionals seeking a used flagship at under-new-price value
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 pentax k-3 mark iii has the highest resolution at 26mp; the pentax k-3 mark iii is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | D6 (2020) | Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £3,200 | £1,699 |
| Sensor | 20.8MP full-frame BSI CMOS | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) |
| Resolution | 20.8MP | 25.7MP |
| Video | 4K UHD 30fps | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p |
| Autofocus | Multi-CAM 3500FX III — 105 AF points, all cross-type | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) |
| Stabilisation | — | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) |
| Burst Rate | 14fps mechanical | 12fps |
| Battery Life | ~3580 shots (CIPA) | 800 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1450g (body only) | 820g body only |
| Dimensions | 160 × 163.5 × 92mm | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | OVF 0.72× magnification, 100% coverage | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen, 2.36M dots | 3.2" tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Nikon F mount | Pentax KF-mount |
| Memory Cards | Dual CFexpress Type B / XQD slots | Dual SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.2, Ethernet (built-in), USB 3.1 | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | D6 | Pentax K-3 Mark III |
|---|---|---|
| Sports & Action | ||
| Wildlife | ||
| Wedding & Events | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | ||
| Landscape | ||
| Travel | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
GearScore™ suitability scores are based on aggregated purchaser reviews weighted by photography genre. See how scores are calculated →
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Camera family history