Upgrade Guide
Pentax KP→Pentax K-3 II
Is it worth upgrading? Spec analysis, key improvements, and our verdict.
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Situational
One clear hardware improvement over the KP. Worth it if that specific upgrade aligns with what you shoot.
What's new in the K-3 II
-
Battery life~720 shots (CIPA) vs ~390 shots (CIPA)
Unchanged or similar
-
ResolutionSimilar (24MP)
Suitability by genre
Base scores — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. The Upgrade Checker adjusts them for your skill level.
| Genre | KP | K-3 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portrait | — | ||
| Street | -0.4 | ||
| Travel | -0.2 | ||
| Wedding & Events | +1.3 | ||
| Documentary | +0.4 | ||
| Sports & Action | +0.7 | ||
| Landscape | -0.1 | ||
| Wildlife | +0.2 | ||
| Casual | -0.3 | ||
| Food | -1.0 | ||
| Macro | -0.7 | ||
| Architecture | -0.3 | ||
| Astrophotography | +1.4 |
Full spec comparison
| Spec | KP | K-3 II | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | £253 used | £185 used | |
| Released | 2017 | 2015 | ↓ |
| Sensor | 24.32MP APS-C CMOS | 24.35MP APS-C CMOS | |
| Resolution | 24MP | 24MP | ↑ |
| Video | Full HD 1080/60i, 30p | Full HD 1080/60i, 30p | |
| Autofocus | SAFOX 11 phase-detect AF, 27 points (25 cross-type) | SAFOX 11 phase-detect AF, 27 points (25 cross-type) | |
| Stabilisation | 5-axis sensor-shift Shake Reduction II, 5 stops | Sensor-shift Shake Reduction, 4.5 stops | |
| Burst Rate | 7fps | 8.3fps | ↑ |
| Battery Life | ~390 shots (CIPA) | ~720 shots (CIPA) | ↑ |
| Weight | 703g (with battery) | 785g (with battery) | ↓ |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes | |
| Viewfinder | Pentaprism, ~100%, 0.95x | Pentaprism, ~100%, 0.95x | |
| Screen | 3.0" tilting LCD, 921k dots | 3.2" fixed LCD, 1.04M dots | |
| Mount | Pentax KAF2 (K-mount) | Pentax KAF2 (K-mount) | |
| Memory Cards | Single SD slot | Dual SD slots |
Compare side-by-side
⚖️ Compare these cameras
See KP and K-3 II next to each other with our interactive comparison tool.
Get a personalised upgrade score
Run the upgrade checker →
Tell us what you shoot and we'll score the K-3 II against your specific genres — not just specs.
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