Panasonic FH6 vs Pentax 645D

The following is a extensive review of the Panasonic FH6 versus Pentax 645D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the FH6 (14MP) and 645D (40MP) and the FH6 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) provide different sensor measurements.

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The FH6 was manufactured 23 months after the 645D which makes them a generation away from one another. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH6 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go straight to a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the FH6 scores vs the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH6 and Pentax 645D. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FH6 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

If you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you should factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH6 enjoys external measurements of 96mm x 56mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.8") along with a weight of 119 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") and a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FH6 versus Pentax 645D in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the FH6 against the 645D.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH6 and 645D is 96 and 50 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions simply by seeing a spec sheet. The image underneath will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the FH6 and 645D.

Clearly, the two cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH6 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645D will produce greater detail due to its extra 26 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The younger FH6 should have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.