Panasonic FH3 vs Pentax ist DS2

In this article, we are evaluating the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax ist DS2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) come with different sensor size.

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The FH3 was manufactured 4 years later than the ist DS2 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a complete comparison, below is a quick overview of how the FH3 grades vs the ist DS2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 & Pentax ist DS2. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FH3 Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you're going to have to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FH3 comes with external dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FH3 and Pentax ist DS2 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Underneath is the front view measurements comparison of the FH3 compared to the ist DS2.

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the FH3 and ist DS2 is 94 and 68 respectively.

Usually, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements only by seeing a spec sheet. The photograph here will help offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH3 and ist DS2.

As you can see, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH3 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF tougher and the Panasonic FH3 will produce greater detail due to its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos far more aggressively. The more modern FH3 should have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.