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Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5

Portability
95
Imaging
34
Features
17
Overall
27
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 front
 
Pentax K-5 front
Portability
60
Imaging
56
Features
82
Overall
66

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Key Specs

Panasonic FS15
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 1600 (Expand to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 29-145mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 136g - 97 x 54 x 22mm
  • Introduced January 2009
Pentax K-5
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 12800 (Boost to 51200)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/8000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 740g - 131 x 97 x 73mm
  • Released December 2010
  • Earlier Model is Pentax K-7
  • Refreshed by Pentax K-5 IIs
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Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Overview

Below is a extensive analysis of the Panasonic FS15 and Pentax K-5, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the FS15 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the FS15 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor size.

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The FS15 was announced 23 months before the K-5 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FS15 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a in-depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the FS15 matches up against the K-5 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic FS15 over the Pentax K-5

 FS15 K-5 

Reasons to pick Pentax K-5 over the Panasonic FS15

 K-5 FS15 
ReleasedDecember 2010January 2009More recent by 23 months
Manual focus More exact focus
Screen sizing3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution921k230kCrisper screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic FS15 and Pentax K-5

 FS15 K-5 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch screen No Touch screen

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Physical Comparison

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS15 offers outer measurements of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") along with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FS15 and Pentax K-5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is the front view over all size comparison of the FS15 compared to the K-5.

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 size comparison

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FS15 and K-5 is 95 and 60 respectively.

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is difficult to visualize the gap in sensor measurements just by viewing technical specs. The photograph below might offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FS15 and K-5.

As you can tell, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FS15 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax K-5 will render more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The older FS15 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 sensor size comparison

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic FS15 Portrait photography details
Pentax K-5 Portrait photography details
20
manual focus not available
no manual mode
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
73
has manual focus
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
provides face detection focusing
saves RAW formats
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Street Comparison

Panasonic FS15 Street photography highlights
Pentax K-5 Street photography highlights
56
has image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
66
image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
weather sealing
no moving screen
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic FS15 as a Sports photography camera
Pentax K-5 as a Sports photography camera
25
has image stabilization (Optical)
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority mode
MP count low (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
78
maximum shutter speed is high (1/8,000 seconds)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
provides tracking autofocus
weather sealing
supports phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic FS15 Travel photography info
Pentax K-5 Travel photography info
51
has built in flash
missing Timelapse function
MP count low (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
wide angle not fantastic (29mm)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
65
weather sealing
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
screen is not selfie friendly
Photography Glossary

Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic FS15
Landscape photography with Pentax K-5
27
has image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not fantastic (29mm)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
small screen (2.7 inch)
no manual mode
MP count low (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
missing Timelapse function
78
has manual focus
swap lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
saves RAW formats
weather sealing
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic FS15 as a Vlogging camera
Pentax K-5 as a Vlogging camera
25
has image stabilization (Optical)
wide angle not fantastic (29mm)
slow max aperture (f3.3)
display is not selfie friendly
video resolution low (640 x 480 pxls)
missing microphone jack
33
image stabilization (Sensor based)
provides face detection focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
comes with external mic support
screen is not selfie friendly
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Panasonic FS15 vs Pentax K-5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic FS15 and Pentax K-5
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15Pentax K-5
General Information
Manufacturer Panasonic Pentax
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS15 Pentax K-5
Category Ultracompact Advanced DSLR
Introduced 2009-01-16 2010-12-18
Physical type Ultracompact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by - Prime II
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 16:9, 4:3 and 3:2 3:2
Maximum resolution 4000 x 3000 4928 x 3264
Maximum native ISO 1600 12800
Maximum boosted ISO 6400 51200
Minimum native ISO 80 80
RAW files
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 11 11
Cross type focus points - 9
Lens
Lens support fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens zoom range 29-145mm (5.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.3-5.9 -
Macro focusing distance 5cm -
Number of lenses - 151
Crop factor 5.9 1.5
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen sizing 2.7 inch 3 inch
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen technology - TFT LCD monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/8000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 2.0 frames/s 7.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash distance - 13.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, Auto Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Forced Off Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync, High speed, Rear curtain and Wireless
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/180 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (25 fps), 1280 x 720 (25, 30 fps), 640 x 424 (25, 30 fps)
Maximum video resolution 640x480 1920x1080
Video data format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 136 grams (0.30 pounds) 740 grams (1.63 pounds)
Dimensions 97 x 54 x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") 131 x 97 x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested 82
DXO Color Depth rating not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested 14.1
DXO Low light rating not tested 1162
Other
Battery life - 980 pictures
Form of battery - Battery Pack
Battery ID - D-LI90
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse feature
Storage type SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots One One
Pricing at launch $180 $800