Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K-500

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic FH3 versus Pentax K-500, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the FH3 (14MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is fairly similar but the FH3 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) use different sensor sizing.

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The FH3 was introduced 4 years before the K-500 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise summary of how the FH3 grades against the K-500 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 & Pentax K-500. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH3 Gallery & Pentax K-500 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you should think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FH3 comes with physical measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) and the Pentax K-500 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH3 versus Pentax K-500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the FH3 and the K-500.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the FH3 and K-500 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizes merely by reading technical specs. The pic below may provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FH3 and K-500.

As you have seen, both the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FH3 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-500 will deliver extra detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged FH3 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.