[UncleVanya]

The new Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is smaller and lighter than my K100D Super. I know the KP is supposed to be small but by comparison it is much larger. This is a size I wish Pentax made still. Nothing special really not the end of the world that Pentax doesn't but it is nice to know someone is still making bodies this size and weight.

Canon U.S.A., Inc. | EOS Rebel SL3 EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens Kit

Not nearly enough to tempt me, just interesting.

[Alex645]

The new Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is smaller and lighter than my K100D Super. I know the KP is supposed to be small but by comparison it is much larger. This is a size I wish Pentax made still. Nothing special really not the end of the world that Pentax doesn't but it is nice to know someone is still making bodies this size and weight.
.

The height and depth of the K100D and SL3 are identical and the K100D is only 7mm wider. Also Canon APS-C sensors are smaller than the typical Sony APS-C sensors used by everyone else.

The last small Pentax DSLR was the K-S1 and the last one to have only one control wheel. For me, big value points are the dual control wheels and IBIS. I also prefer a slightly larger battery that can hold a charge longer. And weather sealing does add weight....

So ultimately it's a matter of priorities over the features. Conversely for me, when I got into medium format, I chose the Pentax 645 over the competition because it was smaller and lighter than the competition. And yes, the trade off was non-interchangeable backs and finders.

[Trickortreat]

KS1 has pentaprism.
I dont mind the size of Pentax entry level cameras. Just the weight...

[BigMackCam]

The new Canon EOS Rebel SL3 is smaller and lighter than my K100D Super. I know the KP is supposed to be small but by comparison it is much larger. This is a size I wish Pentax made still. Nothing special really not the end of the world that Pentax doesn't but it is nice to know someone is still making bodies this size and weight.

...

Not nearly enough to tempt me, just interesting.

I hear you.

A few years ago, I tried out the original Rebel SL1 / EOS 100D at a local electronics store, and it was very tempting - not as a replacement for my Pentax gear, but as an addition. Although it wasn't that much narrower, that much shorter, that much thinner, all the small amounts combined to produce a camera that seemed tiny yet was still comfortable to hold and quite usable, even with my big hands and chunky fingers. When that camera was on close-out, I very, very nearly bought one... and later, I almost bought a mint / little-used one on eBay.

I still wouldn't mind owning an SL1, 2 or 3... but I couldn't justify having to buy a bunch of AF lenses to use with it...

[Rondec]

If you want small and a penta prism, Pentax KS-1 is about the only option out there. Having the pentamirror that is offered in most entry levels from other makers is a real turn off, even if they are slightly smaller.

[arv]

Pentax K-x (and K-m) was just 0,1mm wider, but 1.1mm shorter and 2.3mm thinner.

Loved mine K-x, and even replaced it's shutter after few years of use... (for that price could buy another used camera ).

[pres589]

If high iso IQ is important, a K-70 seems head and shoulders over any of the Canon crop body cameras DPReview has reviewed. Some folks wouldn't care, but for those that do... Canon seems pretty behind the ball on this.

[BigMackCam]

If high iso IQ is important, a K-70 seems head and shoulders over any of the Canon crop body cameras DPReview has reviewed. Some folks wouldn't care, but for those that do... Canon seems pretty behind the ball on this.

With the Rebel SLs, I don't think the most attractive factor is sensor performance... it's having a "proper" DSLR, one that still feels and looks like a sensible camera, in such a light and compact package. That's what impressed me about the SL1... otherwise, I'd have no reason to ever consider a Canon...

[pres589]

I know, I've held the SL1, and it's both so small as to almost be annoyingly small, and very light. It makes my K5 II feel quite portly in comparison.

I wasn't speaking about the SL1 specifically inre: high ISO performance, I'm talking about all crop Canon's. They all still seem well behind Pentax on high ISO IQ.

[BigMackCam]

I know, I've held the SL1, and it's both so small as to almost be annoyingly small, and very light. It makes my K5 II feel quite portly in comparison.

A while back, I'd have found the size annoying too... and yet, after some time shooting my little *ist DL and Samsung GX-1L, I get the light weight and smaller size. Not in every situation - I generally prefer bigger, chunkier bodies (where my cameras are concerned ) - but there are times when it's really nice (for me, at any rate) to shoot a slightly smaller and lighter body, especially if it's fitted with an equally light lens such as the DA35/2.4... in the same way that I sometimes enjoy shooting my Q7 more than my DSLRs, just because of size and weight.

I wasn't speaking about the SL1 specifically inre: high ISO performance, I'm talking about all crop Canon's. They all still seem well behind Pentax on high ISO IQ.

They certainly were, but I believe the gap has narrowed somewhat.

See below the SL3 vs K-3 at ISO 6400...

[pres589]

Why not compare it to the K-70? K-3 is not exactly new, and not what I would consider a competitor to the SL3.

[BigMackCam]

Why not compare it to the K-70? K-3 is not exactly new, and not what I would consider a competitor to the SL3.

Because the K-3 is what I shoot... and with raw development software, I don't believe the difference between the K-70 and K-3 is significant. There's a difference, sure, but nothing that I can't live without (I've chosen to live without it thus far), and nothing I can't achieve in post-processing anyway. So, if the SL3 was on my shopping list for other reasons - size and weight, for example, as discussed in this thread - the slight difference in high ISO performance wouldn't be enough to sway me. As it happens, I'm not shopping for an SL3 because I'm very happy with my Pentax gear, and have no desire to change. But I do get why the OP is intrigued by the SL3, and I no longer think Canon's IQ is the barrier it used to be...

[UncleVanya]

Because the K-3 is what I shoot... and with raw development software, I don't believe the difference between the K-70 and K-3 is significant. There's a difference, sure, but nothing that I can't live without (I've chosen to live without it thus far), and nothing I can't achieve in post-processing anyway. So, if the SL3 was on my shopping list for other reasons - size and weight, for example, as discussed in this thread - the slight difference in high ISO performance wouldn't be enough to sway me. As it happens, I'm not shopping for an SL3 because I'm very happy with my Pentax gear, and have no desire to change. But I do get why the OP is intrigued by the SL3, and I no longer think Canon's IQ is the barrier it used to be...

To be fair it is an academic interest rather than an actual interest. I am happy to see small DSLR's - the perception of mirrorless = compact is difficult to maintain when cameras like the SL3 pop up. It's not that mirrorless isn't capable of being smaller - but it is clear that other than thickness there isn't a huge gap when this is the optimization attempted. I like a good small m43 kit too don't get me wrong! LOL.

[Rondec]

Canon's issues with sensors is not at high iso, but low iso. Typically they have about one stop less dynamic range at base iso than comparitive Sony sensors. They are actually quite good at high iso. The KP and K70 do really do a lot better with high iso dynamic range due to the accelerator chip, but whether or not that is desirable is probably a discussion for another thread...

Photographic Dynamic Range versus ISO Setting

[monochrome]

If you want small and a penta prism, Pentax KS-1 is about the only option out there. Having the pentamirror that is offered in most entry levels from other makers is a real turn off, even if they are slightly smaller.

I bought a used K-S1 for a few dollars. With the three Limited Pancakes it is a really nice casual walking around package. The viewfinder with mirror is really very good and bright. The 20 Mp sensor wasn’t around long enough to get much praise but the jpegs it produces are sharp and colorful.

Also, I use the battery from that camera as an extra with my KP