Panasonic FP1 vs Pentax K-30

Its time to look a little more closely at the Panasonic FP1 vs Pentax K-30, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the resolutions of the FP1 (12MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the FP1 (1/2.3") and K-30 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The FP1 was announced 3 years prior to the K-30 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go through a complete comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the FP1 scores versus the K-30 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1 & Pentax K-30. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FP1 Gallery & Pentax K-30 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP1 has got external dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 19mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.7") having a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Pentax K-30 has proportions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FP1 vs Pentax K-30 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the FP1 and the K-30.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the FP1 and K-30 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, its hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by going over technical specs. The picture here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP1 and K-30.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FP1 having a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field harder and the Pentax K-30 will offer more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged FP1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.