Panasonic FP1 vs Pentax K-5 II

Its time to examine more closely at the Panasonic FP1 and Pentax K-5 II, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the FP1 (12MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the FP1 (1/2.3") and K-5 II (APS-C) possess totally different sensor size.

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The FP1 was unveiled 4 years earlier than the K-5 II and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP1 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the FP1 grades vs the K-5 II in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP1 and Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FP1 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FP1 offers 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-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FP1 and Pentax K-5 II in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the FP1 versus the K-5 II.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the FP1 and K-5 II is 95 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to visualise the difference between sensor measurements only by looking at specifications. The photograph here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP1 and K-5 II.

Plainly, both the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FP1 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Pentax K-5 II will resolve greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older FP1 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.