diff --git a/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/controllers/pilatus_controller.py b/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/controllers/pilatus_controller.py
index 0835780d65..9fda8f8133 100644
--- a/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/controllers/pilatus_controller.py
+++ b/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/controllers/pilatus_controller.py
@@ -24,14 +24,13 @@ class PilatusController(DetectorControl):
     def __init__(
         self,
         driver: PilatusDriver,
+        readout_time: float,
     ) -> None:
         self._drv = driver
+        self._readout_time = readout_time
 
     def get_deadtime(self, exposure: float) -> float:
-        # Cite: https://media.dectris.com/User_Manual-PILATUS2-V1_4.pdf
-        """The required minimum time difference between ExpPeriod and ExpTime
-        (readout time) is 2.28 ms"""
-        return 2.28e-3
+        return self._readout_time
 
     async def arm(
         self,
diff --git a/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/pilatus.py b/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/pilatus.py
index 1a76a20671..ecaf31dacb 100644
--- a/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/pilatus.py
+++ b/src/ophyd_async/epics/areadetector/pilatus.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from enum import Enum
+
 from bluesky.protocols import Hints
 
 from ophyd_async.core import DirectoryProvider
@@ -11,6 +13,20 @@
 from ophyd_async.epics.areadetector.writers.nd_file_hdf import NDFileHDF
 
 
+#: Cite: https://media.dectris.com/User_Manual-PILATUS2-V1_4.pdf
+#: The required minimum time difference between ExpPeriod and ExpTime
+#: (readout time) is 2.28 ms
+#: We provide an option to override for newer Pilatus models
+class PilatusReadoutTime(float, Enum):
+    """Pilatus readout time per model in ms"""
+
+    # Cite: https://media.dectris.com/User_Manual-PILATUS2-V1_4.pdf
+    pilatus2 = 2.28e-3
+
+    # Cite: https://media.dectris.com/user-manual-pilatus3-2020.pdf
+    pilatus3 = 0.95e-3
+
+
 class PilatusDetector(StandardDetector):
     """A Pilatus StandardDetector writing HDF files"""
 
@@ -21,15 +37,16 @@ def __init__(
         self,
         prefix: str,
         directory_provider: DirectoryProvider,
-        drv_suffix="cam1:",
-        hdf_suffix="HDF1:",
-        name="",
+        readout_time: PilatusReadoutTime = PilatusReadoutTime.pilatus3,
+        drv_suffix: str = "cam1:",
+        hdf_suffix: str = "HDF1:",
+        name: str = "",
     ):
         self.drv = PilatusDriver(prefix + drv_suffix)
         self.hdf = NDFileHDF(prefix + hdf_suffix)
 
         super().__init__(
-            PilatusController(self.drv),
+            PilatusController(self.drv, readout_time=readout_time.value),
             HDFWriter(
                 self.hdf,
                 directory_provider,
diff --git a/tests/epics/areadetector/test_controllers.py b/tests/epics/areadetector/test_controllers.py
index fbef4ceaf4..60b82bea5c 100644
--- a/tests/epics/areadetector/test_controllers.py
+++ b/tests/epics/areadetector/test_controllers.py
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ async def pilatus_driver(RE) -> PilatusDriver:
 @pytest.fixture
 async def pilatus(RE, pilatus_driver: PilatusDriver) -> PilatusController:
     async with DeviceCollector(mock=True):
-        controller = PilatusController(pilatus_driver)
+        controller = PilatusController(pilatus_driver, readout_time=2.28)
 
     return controller
 
diff --git a/tests/epics/areadetector/test_pilatus.py b/tests/epics/areadetector/test_pilatus.py
index 7260c58202..342a72a3ef 100644
--- a/tests/epics/areadetector/test_pilatus.py
+++ b/tests/epics/areadetector/test_pilatus.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     set_mock_value,
 )
 from ophyd_async.epics.areadetector.drivers.pilatus_driver import PilatusTriggerMode
-from ophyd_async.epics.areadetector.pilatus import PilatusDetector
+from ophyd_async.epics.areadetector.pilatus import PilatusDetector, PilatusReadoutTime
 
 
 @pytest.fixture
@@ -26,13 +26,25 @@ async def pilatus(
     return adpilatus
 
 
+async def test_deadtime_overridable(static_directory_provider: DirectoryProvider):
+    async with DeviceCollector(mock=True):
+        pilatus = PilatusDetector(
+            "PILATUS:",
+            static_directory_provider,
+            readout_time=PilatusReadoutTime.pilatus2,
+        )
+    pilatus_controller = pilatus.controller
+    # deadtime invariant with exposure time
+    assert pilatus_controller.get_deadtime(0) == 2.28e-3
+
+
 async def test_deadtime_invariant(
     pilatus: PilatusDetector,
 ):
     pilatus_controller = pilatus.controller
     # deadtime invariant with exposure time
-    assert pilatus_controller.get_deadtime(0) == 2.28e-3
-    assert pilatus_controller.get_deadtime(500) == 2.28e-3
+    assert pilatus_controller.get_deadtime(0) == 0.95e-3
+    assert pilatus_controller.get_deadtime(500) == 0.95e-3
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(