Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax 645D

In this article, we are evaluating the Panasonic FS15 and Pentax 645D, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the sensor resolutions of the FS15 (12MP) and 645D (40MP) and the FS15 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) use different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FS15 was released 13 months earlier than the 645D making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before getting in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise overview of how the FS15 matches up against the 645D in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 and Pentax 645D. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS15 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera, you will have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FS15 features external dimensions of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has proportions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") with a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FS15 and Pentax 645D in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the FS15 against the 645D.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the FS15 and 645D is 95 and 50 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to visualize the gap in sensor measurements simply by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph here should offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS15 and 645D.

As you can see, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FS15 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Pentax 645D will provide more detail as a result of its extra 28MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The older FS15 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.