Nikon D300 vs Pentax K-1

Here is a in depth overview of the Nikon D300 and Pentax K-1, both Advanced DSLR cameras by brands Nikon and Pentax. There is a large difference among the image resolutions of the D300 (12MP) and K-1 (36MP) and the D300 (APS-C) and K-1 (Full frame) enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The D300 was released 9 years prior to the K-1 and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with the identical body type (Mid-size SLR).

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief view of how the D300 matches up versus the K-1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon D300 & Pentax K-1. The complete galleries are available at Nikon D300 Gallery & Pentax K-1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Nikon D300 comes with external dimensions of 147mm x 114mm x 74mm (5.8" x 4.5" x 2.9") with a weight of 925 grams (2.04 lbs) while the Pentax K-1 has measurements of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") having a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs).

Analyze the Nikon D300 and Pentax K-1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the D300 compared to the K-1.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the D300 and K-1 is 55 and 55 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing only by checking out technical specs. The visual underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the D300 and K-1.

As you have seen, each of the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The D300 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-1 will show extra detail as a result of its extra 24MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The older D300 will be behind in sensor innovation.