Panasonic FH5 vs Pentax K-3

Here is a extensive review of the Panasonic FH5 and Pentax K-3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the FH5 (16MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the FH5 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FH5 was launched 4 years earlier than the K-3 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the FH5 scores versus the K-3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Pentax K-3. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FH5 provides physical dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FH5 and Pentax K-3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilising during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the FH5 and the K-3.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the FH5 and K-3 is 96 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to picture the difference between sensor sizing merely by reading technical specs. The visual underneath might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the FH5 and K-3.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FH5 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh tougher and the Pentax K-3 will offer you extra detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The older FH5 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.