Panasonic FH8 vs Pentax K-x

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic FH8 and Pentax K-x, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the FH8 (16MP) and K-x (12MP) and the FH8 (1/2.3") and K-x (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FH8 was revealed 2 years after the K-x which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-x being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a short view of how the FH8 scores against the K-x with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 & Pentax K-x. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH8 Gallery & Pentax K-x Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic FH8 has physical measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Pentax K-x has specifications of 123mm x 92mm x 68mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.7") along with a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FH8 and Pentax K-x in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the FH8 compared to the K-x.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FH8 and K-x is 96 and 69 respectively.

Oftentimes, its tough to visualise the gap in sensor sizes purely by researching specs. The picture underneath might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FH8 and K-x.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FH8 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Panasonic FH8 will render more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger FH8 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor tech.