Pentax KP vs Sony SLT Alpha 77 II — Which Is Better?

The Pentax KP (2017) and the Sony SLT Alpha 77 II (2014) are both DSLRs, but each uses a different native lens system. The KP takes Pentax KAF2 lenses and the Alpha 77 II takes Sony Alpha DT glass, so the lenses you own or plan to build should steer the choice.

The KP is the smaller camera, 132 x 101 x 76 mm against the Sony's 143 x 104 x 81 mm. The Sony is 56 g lighter, 647 g against 703 g.

The Sony is the stronger choice for fast action, offering 12 fps against the KP's 7 fps. Its 79 autofocus points give far more frame coverage for tracking athletes and birds in flight, while the KP's 27 points leave less margin for erratic subjects. Both use APS-C CMOS sensors with in-body stabilisation, so any lens gives the same crop and steadier handheld speeds.

The Alpha 77 II's electronic viewfinder previews exposure and white balance before you shoot, whereas the KP's optical pentaprism gives a lag-free view of the scene. The KP reaches a much higher top ISO of 819200 versus 25600, while the Sony's 1/8000 second shutter handles bright light with wider apertures than the KP's 1/6000 limit.

The KP is the pick for timelapse: its built-in interval recording captures sunset or cloudscape sequences without external gear, a capability the Alpha 77 II lacks. For ordinary clips both cameras cap at Full HD resolution and both reach 60 fps frame rates. The KP records MPEG-4 and MOV, while the Sony writes AVCHD and MP4, which mainly affects your editing workflow.

The KP is the better connected travel camera, offering both GPS and Bluetooth alongside Wi-Fi. GPS tags every landscape and wildlife frame with its location, and Bluetooth maintains a low-power link to your phone, while the Alpha 77 II pairs over Wi-Fi alone and has no GPS.

Both share a 3-inch tilting LCD for waist-level macro shots or overhead crowds. The Sony's screen resolves 1,229,000 dots against the KP's 921,000, a sharper display for checking focus.

The Alpha 77 II has the longer rated battery life, 480 shots against 390 for the KP. Each uses its own proprietary pack, the Sony's NP-FM500H and the KP's D-LI109, and neither charges over USB.

The KP takes SD, SDHC and SDXC cards at UHS-I speed, while the Sony accepts those plus Memory Stick Pro Duo and Pro-HG Duo media. Both have a single card slot, so neither offers in-camera backup.