Panasonic FS42 vs Pentax K-3

Lets look much closer at the Panasonic FS42 versus Pentax K-3, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the FS42 (10MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the FS42 (1/2.5") and K-3 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FS42 was revealed 6 years prior to the K-3 and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the FS42 matches up against the K-3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 and Pentax K-3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FS42 Gallery and Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera often, you'll have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FS42 features physical measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has dimensions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FS42 versus Pentax K-3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Here is the front view dimensions comparison of the FS42 and the K-3.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FS42 and K-3 is 95 and 59 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements merely by reading through specifications. The photograph below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FS42 and K-3.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FS42 with its tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Pentax K-3 will give more detail because of its extra 14 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images much more aggressively. The older FS42 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.