Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K100D

Following is a thorough assessment of the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax K100D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and K100D (6MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and K100D (APS-C) offer totally different sensor size.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The FH3 was revealed 3 years after the K100D which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the FH3 grades against the K100D in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Pentax K100D. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Pentax K100D Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH3 has outer measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) and the Pentax K100D has measurements of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax K100D in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the FH3 compared to the K100D.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FH3 and K100D is 94 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizes merely by reading specs. The image underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the FH3 and K100D.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FH3 having a tinier sensor will make getting bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic FH3 will offer more detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The younger FH3 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.