Pentax K-3 Mark III vs. K-1 Mark I: ISO Comparison

Hi all, in this video we put the Pentax K-3 III against the K-1 Mark I in an ISO comparison test.
We acknowledge that there is significant difference between the cameras. We wanted to present results of 'what ya see is what ya get' for zoomed out and 100% zoomed images.
Results were pretty much expected - both the K-3 III and K-1 holds their noise incredibly well.
While the K-3 III may maintain colour and luminance better at high ISOs, the K-1 displays better dynamic range and sharpness.
Great results and we wanted to share them with you here :)
Let me know what ya think!
Special thanks to Karl Stevens for letting me borrow his K-1!
(Firmware - K-3 III: 1.02 K-1: 1.50).
Send us stuff!
Stephen Foster
PO Box 99900 WU 227 122
RPO Meadowbrook
Edmonton AB T6T 0W4

[@pix4japan]

Thank you for this video. As you said, it’s just a comparison of “first glance results,” but I still found the comparison to be interesting. I would love to see a similar comparison with the KP and K3III. Thank you again for your content!

[@mmhm007]

I've been shooting sport with the K3iii but took the K1 to a darkly lit concert and was happy I did. When thing are moving fast, I'll no doubt need to crop later and the K1 definitely lends itself to that. While I take a hot in sharpness, I can clean images from both at ISO 6400 and they look very good. I normally don't shoot past 6400 unless the lighting is just that bad and I need a faster shutter.

[@deanroslynmengel5575]

Thanks very interesting and much appreciated - these results are meaningful.

[@MacM545]

You might already know this, but F/4 on APS-C isn't exactly the same on Full Frame. That being said though, I did hear that it was more of a "first-glance" results kind of video. If anyone wants to know definitively which camera has less noise, this is a factor that might need to be considered. but then again, the image size is different so I'm not concluding anything instantly because it might take me some time to think about. Also, there might be some factors that I've failed to recall that might be effective. That being said though, thank you. I'm not disagreeing with the video, simply trying to let someone who might be wondering, to know how this works.

[@photologic5900]

Thank you, it would be really nice to see a video with a comprehensive autofocus comparison.

[@l.nauwelaerts195]

Thank you. Very interesting content! I know how my K-1 compares to my K-5 II, so now I have an idea on how the k-3 III would compare to the K-5 II.

[@klarion]

From elsewhere, K1 doesnt do pre conversion noise reduction... so, there is more detail and different noise structure

[@TheLocalredhead]

Thanks for the comparison!

[@cdmikelis]

K3iii should be better in 1:1 sensor performance - what you did here - and it is. Similar they said K5 sensor have better DR than K3 sensor, but in real life, K3 is always better image in low light (having both I think so). K1¸sensor is same age and generation as K5 sensor. I compared the two years ago in similar 1:1 crop comparison and they perform similar in any way. K1 advantage is only when FF lens are at equal frame as crop lens, so more pixels to same frame; K1 shooting in crop mode is a bigger/slower K5. While K3iii is slightly better than KP, which was darn near K1 already. K3iii rocks. I hope they will make a FF equivalent camera.

[@sovu9399]

Hi! what about k1 mark 2, is high iso better than on k3 iii?

[@jbp6759]

Interesting video, surprised the K-3iii holds onto colors so well. Wonder how it does that.

[@yungsookevinhong7943]

What is the pixel dimension on each individual camera

[@moviereview-rw2xs]

intresting

[@xmeda]

Try the same test in low light with a lot of shadows. You'll notice that ISO6400 is about the borderline of usability for both. Or in fact for most cameras on market.

[@bildkistl]

that's true the iso-tests at daylight are not very meaningful you have to test with lowlight if you wanna really know they lowlight-abilities, makes sense if you just think a second about it

[@jbp6759]

@@bildkistl That would be a better test for low light performance, definitely. However, wildlife and sports photography often necessitates high ISO even in the daytime, for high shutter speeds.

[@sovu9399]

there you have it kzbin.info/www/bejne/qnWraIGLepqMn68

[@wingtang2380]

👍

[@pblogic007]

Why does the K1 consistently look underexposed?

[@fabrizio-6172]

Hello which software you used to compare the photos?

[@PentaxTips]

Adobe Lightroom

[@class_a]

I like your channel, but this could not be more of a an "apples vs oranges" comparison. First, using the same f-stop for both cameras gives the K-1 about a stop of extra exposure (and hence noise advantage). Second, you cannot compare 1:1 (100%) views of a 36MP image with a 26MP image. The magnification is higher for the 36MP image and hence more noise will show (just like more noise shows up when you change from a "Fit" view to "100%" view). Third, the K-3 III uses internal image processing to beautify the raw data. One the one hand, one could argue one is only interested in "out of the box" comparisons, but on the other hand one definitely does not get to compare the sensor performances as such and could easily justify some significant post-processing for the K-1 images in order to provide a level-playing field. All of the above has nothing to do with "scientific comparisons", not every investigation has to meet every possible standard, but what you are doing here is unfortunately not meaningful, even though the comparison superficially looks like it is "fair". However, please continue making videos about Pentax equipment.

[@PentaxTips]

Thanks for the views and comment, Class A. You said "you cannot" a bunch, but I looks like I just did! haha This wasn't meant to be an apples vs apples. To use your analogy, we did a 'here's the nutritional facts of an apple, here's the nutritional facts of an orange'. We didn't proclaim either a 'winner' we just displayed WYSIWYG. Thanks again for the feedback and channel support.

[@class_a]

@@PentaxTips Hi, it's all good. I see where you are coming from but I hope you see the validity of my points as well. Your comparison is a bit like letting someone run 100m and another person 200m and then comparing the times without telling anyone about the difference in running distance, nor how one would have to convert the times if one did know about the running distances. Still of a fan of your channel and will continue to watch. Cheers.

[@MacM545]

@@class_a hey, hope I can chime in for a moment about a thought of mine. It's basically a good video, except that it's more for someone who can further extrapolate the missing information and/or for finding the missing pieces of the puzzle rather than being a conclusion. Honestly, one of the reasons that I don't do comparisons like these (even though I've really wanted to compare technology of cameras) is that I might make such opinions, while overlooking an abundance of technical things. That might happen with every of my reviews if I were to make them. Basically, based on my opinion, you guys aren't strictly wrong but also not strictly right. at least he seemed to mention that it's a "first-glance" type of comparison, so that kind of made me less disappointed . Well, for lack of a better word.

[@sovu9399]

Hi! what about k1 mark 2, is high iso better than on k3 iii? Thank you for this review.

[@PentaxTips]

Very difficult to compare across formats. I have heard they are nearly equal in end results

[@sovu9399]

@@PentaxTips Thank you!

[@pimpthyride]

Hi, Can you use the lenses from a Pentax K-3 (APS-C) on a Pentax K-1 (Full Frame) ? I have a Pentax K-3 and I would like to upgrade to a Full Frame but not sure if I can use the same lenses...

[@PentaxTips]

Yep they are completely compatible. The K-1 has a ‘crop’ mode. kzbin.info/www/bejne/kIOacqdrpa13mKssi=hSNid3bSUUrQEmaq