Panasonic FS42 vs Pentax K-3 II

Here, we are looking at the Panasonic FS42 and Pentax K-3 II, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the FS42 (10MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the FS42 (1/2.5") and K-3 II (APS-C) offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The FS42 was unveiled 7 years prior to the K-3 II and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a complete comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the FS42 grades vs the K-3 II for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 and Pentax K-3 II. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS42 Gallery and Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FS42 has got outside dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-3 II has sizing of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

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

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the FS42 and the K-3 II.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the FS42 and K-3 II is 95 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to see the gap in sensor sizing just by going through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS42 and K-3 II.

Clearly, the 2 cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FS42 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF tougher and the Pentax K-3 II will provide greater detail having an extra 14 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The older FS42 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.