Panasonic FS7 vs Pentax 645D

Let's look a bit more closely at the Panasonic FS7 and Pentax 645D, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the FS7 (10MP) and 645D (40MP) and the FS7 (1/2.5") and 645D (Medium format) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FS7 was unveiled 13 months earlier than the 645D which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FS7 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a brief summation of how the FS7 grades vs the 645D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS7 & Pentax 645D. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FS7 Gallery & Pentax 645D Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FS7 provides physical dimensions of 97mm x 54mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.1" x 0.9") and a weight of 139 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") having a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FS7 and Pentax 645D in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the FS7 and the 645D.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the FS7 and 645D is 95 and 50 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS7 and 645D.

Clearly, both cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FS7 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field tougher and the Pentax 645D will give extra detail having an extra 30MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots way more aggressively. The older FS7 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.