Panasonic 3D1 vs Pentax K-3 II

Below is a comprehensive assessment of the Panasonic 3D1 versus Pentax K-3 II, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference among the sensor resolutions of the 3D1 (12MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the 3D1 (1/2.3") and K-3 II (APS-C) provide different sensor size.

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The 3D1 was manufactured 4 years before the K-3 II and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a thorough comparison, here is a brief summation of how the 3D1 scores vs the K-3 II in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 & Pentax K-3 II. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic 3D1 Gallery & Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to lug around your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic 3D1 features external measurements of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-3 II has dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Check the Panasonic 3D1 versus Pentax K-3 II in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the 3D1 versus the K-3 II.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the 3D1 and K-3 II is 93 and 59 respectively.

Often, it is hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements simply by looking through a spec sheet. The visual below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the 3D1 and K-3 II.

As you can see, both of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 3D1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-3 II will provide you with greater detail due to its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older 3D1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.