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Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 Mark II Comparison

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Nikon D70s

6 MP | APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) CCD Sensor

Nikon D70s
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Pentax K-1 II

36 MP | Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) CMOS Sensor

Pentax K-1 II
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Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing D70s and K-1 Mark II, two Advanced DSLR cameras from Nikon and Pentax. Nikon D70s was introduced to market in April 2005 and Pentax K-1 II was launched in February 2018. As you can see, D70s is 13 years older than K-1 Mark II. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon D70s Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2005-04-20
  • 6MP - APS-C CCD Sensor
  • ISO 200 - 1600
  • Nikon F Mount
  • 2.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 3.0fps continuous shooting
  • No Video Mode
  • 679g. 140 x 111 x 78 mm
  • Replaced Nikon D70 Compare

Pentax K-1 II Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2018-02-22
  • 36MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 819200
  • Pentax KAF4 Mount
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3.20" Fully Articulated Screen
  • Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder
  • 4.4fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in GPS
  • 1010g. 137 x 110 x 86 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body
  • Replaced Pentax K-1 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Nikon D70s over Pentax K-1 Mark II
Built-in Flash
Yes vs No Useful in low-light
Weight
679 g vs 1010 g 331 g lighter
Sensor Pixel Area
61.02µm2 vs 23.83µm2 156% larger pixel area
CHECK D70s PRICE


Reasons to choose Pentax K-1 Mark II over Nikon D70s
In-built Image Stabilization
Sensor-shift vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and slow shutter speeds
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder Magnification
0.7x vs 0.5x Larger Viewfinder
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
36 MP vs 6 MP 500% more pixels
Max ISO
819.200 vs 1.600 51100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3.2 vs 2" 1.2 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.037k dots vs 130k dots 697% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 95% More accurate viewfinder
Continuous Shooting
4.4fps vs 3.0fps 1.4 fps faster
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Headphone Port
Yes vs No better video control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs None Higher Resolution Video
Flash Sync Port
Yes vs No Connect off-camera flash
AF Micro Adjustment (Fine Tune)
Yes vs No Adjust each lens for more accurate focusing
Pixel Shift High-Res Mode
Yes vs No Increased resolution with pixel shift
Anti Alias Filter Simulator
Yes vs No Turn on Anti Alias filter effect to minimise Moire
Astrotracer Mode
Yes vs No Great for Astrophotography
Operation Assist Lights
Yes vs No LED lights on the body to illuminate in dark conditions
Storage Slot
2 vs 1 Extra storage slot
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
UHS Card Support
UHS-I vs none Read/Write in High Speeds
CHECK K-1 Mark II PRICE

Common Strengths of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 Mark II
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs Yes Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Yes (Optical) vs Yes (Optical) Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs Yes Better image quality
LCD Screen Size
3.20" vs 3.20" Large display
Top LCD Display
Yes vs Yes Help viewing and changing settings easily
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 Mark II
Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon D70s has external dimensions of 140 x 111 x 78 mm (5.51 x 4.37 x 3.07″) and weighs 679 g (1.50 lb / 23.95 oz) (including batteries). Pentax K-1 II has external dimensions of 137 x 110 x 86 mm (5.39 x 4.33 x 3.39″) and weighs 1010 g (2.23 lb / 35.63 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II. Pentax K-1 II is 3mm narrower and 1mm shorter than Nikon D70s but it is also 8mm thicker.

Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Nikon D70s is significantly lighter (331g ) than the Pentax K-1 II which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Also keep in mind that body weight is not the only deciding factor when comparing two interchangeable camera bodies, you have to also take into account the lenses that you will be using with these bodies. Since Pentax K-1 II has a Full frame sensor and Nikon D70s has a smaller APS-C sensor, Nikon D70s's lenses for a similar focal length and aperture will generally be lighter and smaller than the Pentax K-1 II lenses.

Weight Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D70s
K-1 Mark II
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

DSLR Cameras

D70s
K-1 Mark II
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of K-1 Mark II, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to D70s.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Pentax K-1 II's 3.20" LCD screen is slightly larger than Nikon D70s's 2" screen.

Moreover, Pentax K-1 II sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Nikon D70s has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to K-1 Mark II.
Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II: Sensor Comparison

Nikon D70s has a 6.0MP APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Pentax K-1 II has a 36.0MP Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features PRIME IV processor.

Pentax K-1 II's sensor provides 30MP more than Nikon D70s's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Pentax K-1 II's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the D70s and K-1 Mark II sensor size comparison.

Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II Cameras


As seen above, Pentax K-1 II has a 2.3x Larger sensor area than Nikon D70s. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II Comparison of Available Lenses
Which camera has more lenses?

Number of available lenses is a big decision factor while choosing your interchangeable lens camera. When we look at the available lenses for these two cameras, we see that Nikon D70s has an advantage over Pentax K-1 II. There are 316 lenses for Nikon D70s's Nikon F mount, on the other hand there are only 161 lenses for Pentax K-1 II's Pentax KAF4 lens mount.

Another important factor is the availability of image stabilization. Pentax K-1 II has a big advantage in this regard because it has a sensor based image stabilization which means that all the lenses mounted to this body will be stabilized. K-1 Mark II's built-in Image stabilization system is effective to compensate vibration up to 5.0-stops according to CIPA standards.
On the other hand, Nikon D70s doesn't have this feature so you have to buy a lens with optical stabilization feature. Currently there are 107 lenses for Nikon F mount with Optical Image Stabilization features.

Lens Type # of Nikon D70s Lenses # of Pentax K-1 II Lenses
Standard Zoom 33 23 (6 Full Frame)
Standard Prime 22 23 (14 Full Frame)
Wideangle Zoom 33 12 (2 Full Frame)
Wideangle Prime 50 26 (20 Full Frame)
Telephoto Zoom 54 21 (11 Full Frame)
Telephoto Prime 46 15 (12 Full Frame)
SuperZoom 30 15 (3 Full Frame)
Wideangle Fisheye Prime 8 3 (1 Full Frame)
Macro Prime 26 14 (12 Full Frame)
Perspective Control Prime 11 8 (8 Full Frame)
Telephoto Mirror Prime 1 n/a
TOTAL 316 161 (89 Full Frame)


Now let's compare some sample lenses from each mount with typical Focal ranges for Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II to see how these lenses compares:

Fast Standard Zoom Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF Lens Nikon 17-55mm f2.8G ED-IF
25.5 - 82.5mm 755gr 1434gr 111mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR Lens Pentax D FA 24-70mm F2.8 ED SDM WR
24 - 70mm 787gr 1797gr 110mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM Lens Sigma 50-150mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM
75 - 225mm 1350gr 2029gr 198mm Amazon B&H Photo
Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED Lens Pentax D FA 70-200mm F2.8ED
70 - 200mm 1755gr 2765gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Normal Prime Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Nikon 35mm f1.8G Lens Nikon 35mm f1.8G
52.5mm 200gr 879gr 53mm Amazon B&H Photo
HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW Lens HD Pentax-D FA 50mm F1.4 SDM AW
50mm 910gr 1920gr 106mm Amazon B&H Photo
Fast Wideangle Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED Lens Nikon 10-24mm f3-5-4.5G ED
15 - 36mm 460gr 1139gr 87mm Amazon B&H Photo
PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR Lens PENTAX15-30mm F2.8 ED WR
15 - 30mm 1040gr 2050gr 144mm Amazon B&H Photo
24-105mm f4 Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Nikon DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR Lens Nikon DX 16-80mm F2.8-4E ED VR
24 - 120mm 480gr 1159gr 86mm Amazon B&H Photo
PENTAX28-105mm F3.5-5.6 WR Lens PENTAX28-105mm F3.5-5.6 WR
28 - 105mm 440gr 1450gr 87mm Amazon B&H Photo
Super-Tele Zoom Equivalent Lenses
Model FF Equiv. Weight Weight w/ Cam Length Street Price
Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens Nikon 80-400mm f4.5-5.6G ED VR
80 - 400mm 1570gr 2249gr 203mm Amazon B&H Photo
Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Lens Sigma 150-500mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM
150 - 500mm 1780gr 2790gr 252mm Amazon B&H Photo
What types of Photography are Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon D70s for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-1 II for Portrait Photography

GOOD
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Image Stabilization
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon D70s for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-1 II for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
No Live-view
Large Body
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Large Body
Read the details

Nikon D70s for Sports Photography

GOOD

Pentax K-1 II for Sports Photography

EXCELLENT
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
No Image Stabilization
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details
Image Stabilization
Optical Built-in Viewfinder
Good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/8000s
25 Cross Type Focus sensors
33 Focus Points
Good Battery Life: 670 shots
Good Low Light ISO
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.4fps
Read the details

Nikon D70s for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax K-1 II for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Large Body
679g
Body Thickness 78mm
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Environmental Sealings
Large Body
1010g
Body Thickness 86mm
Read the details

Nikon D70s for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax K-1 II for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
Large APS-C (23.7 x 15.5 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 6.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
No Live-view
Read the details
Large Full frame (35.9 x 24 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 36.0MP
Environmental Sealings
Live-view
Built-in GPS
Read the details

Nikon D70s vs Pentax K-1 II: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon D70s and Pentax K-1 II scores compare:

Nikon D70s
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #75 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #671 out of 1244 in all Cameras
Pentax K-1 II
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #5 out of 95 in Mid-size SLR cameras
Ranked #43 out of 1244 in all Cameras

Pentax K-1 II is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Nikon D70s in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Nikon D70s. Otherwise, Pentax K-1 II is the better camera overall.

Nikon D70s
Nikon D70s
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Pentax K-1 II
Pentax K-1 II
CHECK PRICE

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Pentax K-1 II vs Nikon D70s Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon D70s Pentax K-1 Mark II
Brand Nikon Pentax
Announced 2005-04-20 2018-02-22
Body Type Mid-size SLR Mid-size SLR
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size APS-C Full frame
Dimensions 23.7 x 15.5 mm 35.9 x 24 mm
Area 367.35mm2 861.60mm2
Megapixels 6 megapixels 36 megapixels
Max Resolution 3008 x 2000 7360 x 4912
Max Native Light sensitivity 1,600 ISO 819,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 200 ISO 100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points n/a 33
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount Nikon F Pentax KAF4
Number of Available Lenses 316 161
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 2.00" 3.20"
Resolution 130k dots 1,037k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder Coverage 95% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification 0.5x 0.7x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/8000s 1/8000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization No Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 11.00 m no built-in flash
Max Flash Sync 1/500s 1/200s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 4.4 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution None 1920 x 1080
Video Formats n/a MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Auto Flash Discharge, Auto Flash + Red-eye Reduction, Flash On, Flash On + Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Slow-speed Sync + Red-eye, P-TTL, Trailing Curtain Sync, Contrast-control-sync, High-speed sync, Wireless sync
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 679g 1010g
Dimensions 140 x 111 x 78mm 137 x 110 x 86mm
Battery Life n/a 670 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score 50 not tested
DxO Color Depth 20.4 not tested
DxO Dynamic Range 10.3 not tested
DxO Low Light ISO 529 not tested
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