Panasonic S1 vs Pentax K-5

Following is a extensive overview of the Panasonic S1 and Pentax K-5, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the S1 (24MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the S1 (Full frame) and K-5 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The S1 was revealed 8 years after the K-5 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a quick overview of how the S1 grades versus the K-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 & Pentax K-5. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic S1 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic S1 enjoys external dimensions of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic S1 and Pentax K-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the S1 against the K-5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the S1 and K-5 is 54 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to imagine the difference in sensor sizes simply by checking out a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the S1 and K-5.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The S1 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic S1 will produce extra detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos more aggressively. The more recent S1 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.