Panasonic FH25 vs Pentax K-3

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Panasonic FH25 and Pentax K-3, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the FH25 (16MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the FH25 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FH25 was released 4 years earlier than the K-3 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH25 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the FH25 matches up vs the K-3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 and Pentax K-3. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH25 Gallery and Pentax K-3 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic FH25 enjoys outside dimensions of 99mm x 57mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 has specifications of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FH25 and Pentax K-3 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the FH25 compared to the K-3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the FH25 and K-3 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizes simply by checking out specifications. The picture here will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH25 and K-3.

To sum up, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FH25 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-3 will provide extra detail as a result of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged FH25 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.