Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K-50

Here is a detailed comparison of the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax K-50, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the FH3 (14MP) and the K-50 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the FH3 (1/2.3") and K-50 (APS-C) come with different sensor dimensions.

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The FH3 was revealed 4 years before the K-50 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the FH3 matches up vs the K-50 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Pentax K-50. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Pentax K-50 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH3 comes with exterior measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Pentax K-50 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax K-50 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that moment. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the FH3 versus the K-50.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH3 and K-50 is 94 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor sizing only by seeing specifications. The visual here should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FH3 and K-50.

To sum up, both of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FH3 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-50 will show more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The older FH3 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.