Panasonic FH1 vs Pentax K-S1

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic FH1 and Pentax K-S1, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the FH1 (12MP) and K-S1 (20MP) and the FH1 (1/2.3") and K-S1 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizing.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The FH1 was announced 5 years before the K-S1 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a short highlight of how the FH1 matches up vs the K-S1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 and Pentax K-S1. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FH1 Gallery and Pentax K-S1 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH1 features physical measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Pentax K-S1 has sizing of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") with a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FH1 and Pentax K-S1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the FH1 against the K-S1.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the FH1 and K-S1 is 95 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to see the difference in sensor measurements just by seeing a spec sheet. The visual underneath may offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FH1 and K-S1.

Clearly, each of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH1 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-S1 will show greater detail with its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images much more aggressively. The older FH1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.