Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K100D S

Let's take a closer look at the Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K100D S, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap between the image resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and K100D S (6MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and K100D S (APS-C) boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was unveiled 2 years after the K100D S which is quite a large difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D S being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the FH3 grades versus the K100D S when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 & Pentax K100D Super. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH3 Gallery & Pentax K100D S Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic FH3 has physical measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Pentax K100D S has specifications of 129mm x 91mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.8") and a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax K100D S in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at that moment. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the FH3 versus the K100D S.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH3 and K100D S is 94 and 65 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be difficult to picture the gap between sensor sizes purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The image here might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FH3 and K100D S.

Clearly, both of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FH3 having a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic FH3 will offer you extra detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The more modern FH3 should have an advantage in sensor technology.