Nikon
D800
 vs
Pentax
K-x

Nikon D800

100
Winner

Nikon D800

Reasons to buy the Nikon D800

Low light performance
 Low noise at high ISO
2,853 ISO
Overall image quality
 Great image quality
95.0
Color depth
 Great color depth
25.3 bits
Dynamic range
 Wide dynamic range
14.4 EV
Screen size
 Large screen
3.2"
Viewfinder size
 Large viewfinder
0.72x
Pentax K-x

60
Runner-up

Pentax K-x
"The camera has a deep, contoured handgrip on the right-hand side, coated in a rubberized compound to aid grip, that enabled me to use three fingers to hold it and my right forefinger to operate the shutter button."
photographyblog.com | talking about the K-x's feel
"Noise is well controlled by the Pentax K-x, starting to appear at ISO 1600 and becoming more easily detectable at the faster settings of ISO 3200 and 6400."
photographyblog.com | talking about the K-x's iso-noise

Reasons to buy the Pentax K-x

Image stabilization
 Image stabilization
Sensor shift
HDR
 In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Shutter lag
 Barely any delay taking photos
97 ms shutter lag
Size
 Really small
Prosumer size 123x92x68 mm
Thickness
 Thin
2.7"
Weight
 Light-weight
580 g

differences

Advantages of the Nikon D800
Low light performance Much lower noise at high ISO 2,853 ISO vs 811 ISO
Help
 The D800 has excellent image quality 1.8 f-stops higher ISO than the K-x
Overall image quality Much better image quality 95.0 vs 72.0
Help
 More than 30% better image quality
Screen size Much larger screen 3.2" vs 2.7"
Help
 Around 20% larger screen
True resolution Much higher true resolution 36.2 MP vs 12.2 MP
Help
 Capture around 3x more detail in your photos
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen 921k dots vs 230k dots
Help
 More than 4x higher resolution screen
Color depth Better color depth 25.3 bits vs 22.8 bits
Help
 Distinguishes 2.5 more bits of color
Viewfinder size Significantly larger viewfinder 0.72x vs 0.56x
Help
 Around 70% larger viewfinder
External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
 Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Sensor size Much larger sensor Full frame 35.9x24.0mm vs APS-C 23.6x15.8mm
Help
 Around 2.5x larger sensor
Weather sealed Weather sealed Yes vs No
Help
 Sealed to shoot in the rain
Focus points Many more focus points 51 vs 11
Help
 Set focus accurately within the frame
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 24fps
Help
 Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video at a higher frame rate
Dynamic range More dynamic range 14.4 EV vs 12.5 EV
Help
 1.9 f-stops more dynamic range
Autofocus Video autofocus Contrast detection vs None
Help
 Automatically focuses shooting video
Viewfinder coverage Significantly better viewfinder coverage 100% vs 96%
Help
 Almost the same
Lens availability More lenses available 121 lenses vs 90 lenses
Help
 More than 30% more lenses available
Startup delay Less startup delay 120 ms vs 600 ms
Help
 5x less delay when turning on
Shutter lag Less shutter lag 42 ms vs 97 ms
Help
 2.3x less delay when taking photos
Viewfinder Has a pentaprism viewfinder Pentaprism vs Pentamirror
Help
 Pentaprism viewfinders are typically brighter
Battery life Longer battery life 900 shots vs 420 shots
Help
 More than 2x more shots per battery charge
Storage slots Has more storage slots 2 vs 1
Help
 More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards
Cross type focus points More cross-type focus points 15 vs 9
Help
 Grab focus in difficult situations
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 25,600 ISO vs 12,800 ISO
Help
 The D800's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/8000s vs 1/6000s
Help
 More than 20% faster max shutter speed
Nikon D800 Learn more about
the Nikon D800

Advantages of the Pentax K-x
Image stabilization Image stabilization Sensor shift vs None
Help
 Helps eliminate blur caused by small camera movements
Size Significantly smaller 123x92x68 mm vs 146x123x82 mm
Help
 Around 50% smaller
Thickness Much thinner 2.7" vs 3.2"
Help
 Around 20% thinner
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 4.7 fps vs 4 fps
Help
 Around 20% faster continuous shooting
Weight Lighter 580 g vs 900 g
Help
 Around 40% lighter
Lowest price Cheaper $674.92 vs $2,999.00
Help
 The best price we've seen is $2,324 cheaper (4.4x less)
Pentax K-x Learn more about
the Pentax K-x
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

Nikon D800 Nikon D800
100 vs 60
Explain scores
Pentax K-x Pentax K-x
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Nikon D800. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro DSLR with a entry-level DSLR.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent DSLRs

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Dynamic range Good dynamic range Help
D800:14.4 EV
K-x:12.5 EV
Shutter lag Minimal shutter lag Help
D800:42 ms
K-x:97 ms
HDR In-camera HDR Help
Combines multiple exposures
Supports 24p 24p support Help
For that film look
Screen flips out No flip-out screens Help
Less flexible
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
D800:4 fps
K-x:4.7 fps
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
6,400 ISO

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Nikon D7000

Nikon D7000

Entry-level DSLR

$1,000 - $1,197 body only

$1,100 with 55-200mm lens
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the D7000 vs the D800
Compare the D7000 vs the K-x
Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Pro DSLR

$2,198 body only

$2,898 - $2,999 with 24-105mm lens
Built-in flash Doesn't have a built-in flash
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the D800
Compare the EOS 5D Mark II vs the K-x
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D5100 vs the D800
Compare the D5100 vs the K-x
Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D

Pro DSLR

$1,549 - $1,821 body only

$1,500 - $1,849 with 18-135mm lens
Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
Lens availability Slightly more lenses available
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the EOS 7D vs the D800
Compare the EOS 7D vs the K-x
Nikon D90

Nikon D90

Entry-level DSLR

$897 body only

$1,047 with 55-200mm lens
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D90 vs the D800
Compare the D90 vs the K-x
Pentax K-5

Pentax K-5

Entry-level DSLR

$888 - $1,129 body only

$1,033 - $1,283 with 18-55mm lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Continuous shooting Shoots faster continuously
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
Compare the K-5 vs the D800
Compare the K-5 vs the K-x
Nikon D3100

Nikon D3100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $547 with 18-55mm lens
Lens availability Significantly more lenses available
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker
Compare the D3100 vs the D800
Compare the D3100 vs the K-x

Nikon D800 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

Pro DSLR

$3,499 - $3,500 body only

$4,299 - $4,300 with 24-105mm lens
Cross type focus points Many more cross-type focus points
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Compare the EOS 5D Mark III vs the D800
Nikon D700

Nikon D700

Pro DSLR

$2,349 body only
Continuous shooting Shoots faster
Thickness Thinner
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Compare the D700 vs the D800
Nikon D4

Nikon D4

Pro DSLR

$5,999 - $6,000 body only
Continuous shooting Shoots much faster
Battery life Much longer battery life
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Compare the D4 vs the D800
Nikon D3S

Nikon D3S

Pro DSLR

$5,197 body only
Battery life Much longer battery life
Low light performance Lower noise at high ISO
True resolution Much lower true resolution
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Compare the D3S vs the D800

Pentax K-x Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages
Pentax K-r

Pentax K-r

Entry-level DSLR

$645 - $649 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Screen size Much larger screen
Supports 24p No 24p support
Size Slightly larger
Compare the K-r vs the K-x
Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Canon Rebel T2i

Entry-level DSLR

$544 - $949 body only

$649 - $867 with 18-55mm lens
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Screen size Much larger screen
Dynamic range Less dynamic range
Image stabilization No image stabilization
Compare the Rebel T2i vs the K-x

appearance

Nikon D800 Pentax K-x
Nikon D800 Pentax K-x
Nikon D800 Pentax K-x

discussion

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