Pentax
Pentax K-3 Mark III 2021
Best for DSLR enthusiasts & outdoor photographers
£1699
list price · used from £856 at eBay
Decision tools · Compare
Pentax K-3 Mark III vs A1
Quick take: The A1 has the highest resolution at 50MP; the Pentax K-3 Mark III is the most affordable.
16 specs side by side·14 genres scored·UK prices from Wex Photo Video and Clifton Cameras
How to read this page. Highlighted cells win that row on the spec alone. Genre scores are the engine's base scores (enthusiast, photo and video); Camera Match re-weights them for your level and priorities. Price buttons are affiliate links; the price you pay is the same.
Sony
A1 2021
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
£4799
new today at Wex Photo Video
Price buttons are affiliate links — GearFrame may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It never affects a score. Learn more
Verdictwhich should you buy?
Pentax K-3 Mark III — Dslr Enthusiasts & Outdoor Photographers: The finest APS-C DSLR ever made — class-leading weather sealing, optical viewfinder, 5-axis IBIS, and extraordinary build for photographers committed to DSLR.
A1 — Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting: 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
Pentax K-3 Mark III (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- 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
A1 (2021)
is the right camera for you if…
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Full specificationsthe better value in each row is highlighted
| Specification | Pentax K-3 Mark IIIPentax · 2021 | A1Sony · 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £1,699Best | £4,799 |
| Sensor | 25.7MP APS-C BSI CMOS (AA-filterless) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | 25.7MP | 50.1MPBest |
| Video | 4K/30p, 1080p/60p | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | SAFOX 13 phase-detect, 101-point (25 cross-type) | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5.5-stop 5-axis IBIS (Shake Reduction III) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | 12fps | 30fps electronic with full AF/AEBest |
| Battery Life | 800 shots (CIPA)Best | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 820g (body only) | 737g (with battery and card)Best |
| Dimensions | 134.5 × 103.5 × 73.5mm | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | Optical pentaprism, 100% coverage, 1.05× magnification | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | 3.2" fixed touchscreen | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Pentax KF-mount | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | Dual SD UHS-II | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | USB-C, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Wins the row — price, resolution, burst, battery, weight and sealing are compared; text specs aren't ranked.
How they score by genreengine base scores out of 10
Genre
Pentax K-3 Mark III
A1
Portrait
6.6/10
8.2/10
Street
5.2/10
6.1/10
Travel
5.5/10
6.0/10
Wedding & Events
7.0/10
7.9/10
Filmmaking
5.4/10
7.8/10
Documentary
6.4/10
7.6/10
Sports & Action
6.8/10
8.8/10
Landscape
6.2/10
7.6/10
Wildlife
6.8/10
8.7/10
Casual
4.3/10
4.8/10
Food
5.4/10
7.4/10
Macro
4.9/10
7.3/10
Architecture
6.0/10
7.9/10
Astrophotography
6.5/10
6.8/10
Scores come from the same engine as Camera Match: verified specifications weighted by what each genre needs, with documented adjustments. The product page and this table show the enthusiast base score. See how scores are calculated →
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