Panasonic GX9 vs Pentax K-30

Here, we are matching up the Panasonic GX9 versus Pentax K-30, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the GX9 (20MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the GX9 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The GX9 was launched 5 years later than the K-30 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GX9 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the GX9 matches up versus the K-30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-GX9 and Pentax K-30. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic GX9 Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic GX9 offers physical dimensions of 124mm x 72mm x 47mm (4.9" x 2.8" x 1.9") accompanied by a weight of 407 grams (0.90 lbs) while the Pentax K-30 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Check the Panasonic GX9 versus Pentax K-30 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the GX9 versus the K-30.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GX9 and K-30 is 82 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by going through technical specs. The photograph below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the GX9 and K-30.

As you can tell, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The GX9 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic GX9 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The fresher GX9 provides an edge with regard to sensor innovation.