Panasonic G9 vs Pentax K-5 II

Below, we will be evaluating the Panasonic G9 and Pentax K-5 II, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the G9 (20MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the G9 (Four Thirds) and K-5 II (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The G9 was introduced 4 years later than the K-5 II and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic G9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a short introduction of how the G9 grades versus the K-5 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Pentax K-5 II. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic G9 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic G9 offers exterior measurements of 137mm x 97mm x 92mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 3.6") with a weight of 658 grams (1.45 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

See the Panasonic G9 and Pentax K-5 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the G9 versus the K-5 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the G9 and K-5 II is 62 and 60 respectively.

Oftentimes, its hard to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements merely by going over a spec sheet. The visual below will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the G9 and K-5 II.

Clearly, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The G9 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic G9 will offer you more detail using its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The fresher G9 provides an advantage in sensor tech.