• APS-C 369.7mm2
  • 16.3 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 12,800
  • APS-C 357.3mm2
  • 20.1 megapixels
  • ISO 100 - 16,000

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Differences

Pentax K-01 advantages over Sony A5000

  • Lens selection
    Excellent vs Good
    Better lens selection gives you more options
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
    Yes vs No
    Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
  • External Mic Jack
    Jack vs No jack
    Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
  • More dots on screen
    921k vs 461k dots
    Can mean greater resolution or a brighter screen
  • Hot shoe
    Hot shoe vs None
    Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
  • Shoots 60p video
    Yes vs No
    A faster framerate can give you more editing options
  • Faster JPEG shooting
    5.9 fps vs 3.3 fps
    Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
  • Higher extended ISO
    25600 vs 16000 ISO
    Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Sony A5000 advantages over Pentax K-01

  • Less expensive
    $600 vs $900 (MSRP)
    Save money for lenses or accessories
  • In-camera panoramas
    Yes vs No
    Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
  • Tiltable Screen
    Tiltable vs Fixed
    Tilt the screen for shooting flexbility
  • Built-in Wi-Fi
    Wi-Fi vs None
    Share your photos wirelessly
  • NFC
    Yes vs No
    Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
  • More telephoto lens reach
    75 mm vs 61 mm
    Capture objects farther away with the kit lens
  • Thinner
    35 mm vs 58 mm
    Thinner
  • Lighter weight
    388g vs 611g
    Lighter weight
  • Less shutter lag
    0.30 vs 0.80 sec
    Focus and take a photo quickly (wide angle)
  • More pixels
    20.1 vs 16.3 megapixels
    Higher resolution photos
  • Wider angle kit lens
    24 mm vs 61 mm
    Capture more of the scene with the included lens
  • Bigger JPEG buffer
    15 vs 9 shots
    Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)

Similarities

Common Strengths

  • Focus peaking
    Both provide
    Your camera will highlight what's in focus
  • Internal flash
    Both provide
    Useful in a pinch for fill flash
  • HDMI out
    Both provide
    Use HDMI output to monitor or review video
  • Bulb shutter
    Both provide
    Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures

Common Weaknesses

  • Tilt-swivel screen
    Neither provide
    Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
  • Eye-level viewfinder
    Neither provide
    You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
  • Touchscreen
    Neither provide
    Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
  • Built-in Bluetooth
    Neither provide
    Always-on wireless connectivity
  • Built-in GPS
    Neither provide
    Geotag your photos
  • On-sensor phase detect
    Neither provide
    Usually improves live view and video AF performance
  • Top deck display
    Neither provide
    Check settings with a screen on top of the camera
  • Dual card slots
    Neither provide
    Gives you more storage flexibility
  • Headphone jack
    Neither provide
    Monitor audio recording while you shoot video
  • Slow-motion videos
    Neither provide
    Shoot slow-motion videos

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Your purchases support this site

Buy the Pentax K-01
Body Only
  • Body Only
  • Kit with 40mm Lens

Your purchases support this site

Buy the Sony A5000
Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Black)
  • Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Black)
  • Kit with 16-50mm Lens (Silver)
  • Kit with 16-50mm Lens (White)

Review Excerpt

  • Very good image quality and excellent high ISO performance. Premium build quality. In-body image stabilization. Lots of creative features. Full HD movie capture with manual exposure control.

  • Barely any smaller than a standard SLR, but lacks viewfinder and phase-detect autofocus. Contrast-detect AF is slow and unreliable. Body design is clumsy and uncomfortable. Very slow raw burst shooting.

  • Read our Pentax K-01 Review

The Competition

Compared to Samsung NX10

Pentax K-01
Samsung NX10
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $700
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Pentax K-01 vs Samsung NX10

Sony A5000
Samsung NX10
  • $448
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $700
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Bigger pixels

Compare Sony A5000 vs Samsung NX10

Compared to Samsung NX20

Pentax K-01
Samsung NX20
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • Tiltable Screen

Compare Pentax K-01 vs Samsung NX20

Sony A5000
Samsung NX20
  • $448
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $400
  • APS-C
  • Eye-level viewfinder
  • More dots on screen

Compare Sony A5000 vs Samsung NX20

Compared to Samsung NX1100

Pentax K-01
Samsung NX1100
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $450
  • APS-C
  • Less expensive
  • Built-in Wi-Fi

Compare Pentax K-01 vs Samsung NX1100

Sony A5000
Samsung NX1100
  • $448
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Focus peaking
  • $450
  • APS-C
  • Higher-res screen
  • Hot shoe

Compare Sony A5000 vs Samsung NX1100

Compared to Samsung NX30

Pentax K-01
Samsung NX30
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Pentax K-01 vs Samsung NX30

Sony A5000
Samsung NX30
  • $448
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • Less expensive
  • $899
  • APS-C
  • Tilt-swivel screen
  • Eye-level viewfinder

Compare Sony A5000 vs Samsung NX30

Compared to Sony A5100

Pentax K-01
Sony A5100
  • $359
  • APS-C
  • Lens selection
  • In-Camera Image Stabilization
  • $348
  • APS-C
  • Touchscreen
  • In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-01 vs Sony A5100

Sony A5000
Sony A5100
  • $448
  • APS-C
  • $348
  • APS-C
  • Touchscreen
  • Higher effective ISO

Compare Sony A5000 vs Sony A5100

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