Panasonic FH2 vs Pentax K-3 II

Here, we will be reviewing the Panasonic FH2 and Pentax K-3 II, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the FH2 (14MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the FH2 (1/2.3") and K-3 II (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

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The FH2 was manufactured 5 years prior to the K-3 II which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH2 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 quick highlight of how the FH2 grades against the K-3 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2 and Pentax K-3 II. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH2 Gallery and Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FH2 comes with external measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 II has specifications of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FH2 and Pentax K-3 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view size comparison of the FH2 vs the K-3 II.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the FH2 and K-3 II is 96 and 59 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions just by going over specifications. The image underneath will give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FH2 and K-3 II.

Plainly, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH2 due to its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-3 II will deliver more detail due to its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs way more aggressively. The more aged FH2 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.