Panasonic G9 vs Pentax K-30

On this page, we are evaluating the Panasonic G9 versus Pentax K-30, one is a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the G9 (20MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the G9 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

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The G9 was launched 5 years after the K-30 which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic G9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise summary of how the G9 grades versus the K-30 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Pentax K-30. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic G9 Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to travel with your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic G9 has outside dimensions of 137mm x 97mm x 92mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 3.6") and a weight of 658 grams (1.45 lbs) and the Pentax K-30 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

See the Panasonic G9 versus Pentax K-30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the G9 compared to the K-30.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the G9 and K-30 is 62 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's hard to envision the difference between sensor dimensions just by reviewing a spec sheet. The picture underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the G9 and K-30.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The G9 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic G9 will offer greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images more aggressively. The younger G9 is going to have an edge in sensor tech.