Pentax K-3 II vs Pentax K-S2 — Which Is Better?

The Pentax K-3 II and the Pentax K-S2 are 2015 Pentax DSLRs, with the K-S2 the lighter, more compact option for travel and everyday carry. The K-S2 weighs 678 g against 800 g for the K-3 II, a 122 g difference, and its 91 x 123 x 73 mm body is more compact than the K-3 II's 131 x 100 x 77 mm.

The K-3 II is the stronger choice for wildlife and action shooting. Its 24.35 megapixels give more room to crop a distant subject while keeping detail, where the K-S2 offers 20. Its 27 autofocus points against 11 give more AF positions for tracking an erratic subject, and the 8.3 fps burst versus 5.4 fps holds action sequences better. The 1/8000 second top shutter also allows shorter exposures in bright light than the K-S2's 1/6000 second limit.

The shared capture fundamentals serve both cameras: each has an APS-C CMOS sensor, in-body stabilisation for handheld slower shutters, a pentaprism viewfinder, and a 100 to 51200 ISO range. One mount designation differs: the K-3 II uses KAF and the K-S2 uses KAF2.

Neither camera offers 4K, so video work stays within Full HD on both. That shared limit still covers smooth handheld clips, since each records up to 60 fps. The difference sits in file formats: the K-S2 writes MPEG-4 and MOV, while the K-3 II writes MOV and AVI, which matters for your editing software. Each also includes a built-in interval mode for timelapse sequences.

The K-S2 is the more connected camera for sharing work in the field. It offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for wireless transfer, where the K-3 II has neither, and its flip-out screen eases waist-level and overhead framing. A built-in flash also gives the K-S2 instant fill light without carrying a flashgun.

The K-3 II has the larger monitor, 3.2 inches with about 1.04 million dots against 3 inches and 921,000 dots, for finer playback checking. Both bodies are weather sealed, support external flash, include GPS for geotagging landscape and travel files, and offer live view without touch control.

The K-3 II is the camera for a long day of shooting, rated for 720 shots against 410 for the K-S2 under their test conditions. Two SD card slots let you separate stills and video, or simply carry more card space, where the K-S2 has one.

The K-S2's single slot is UHS-I compatible for faster card writes, and the two cameras take different batteries, the D-LI90 and the D-LI109. Neither charges over USB, so spare batteries stay part of the kit either way.