Panasonic FX48 vs Pentax K-5

In this write-up, we are matching up the Panasonic FX48 and Pentax K-5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the FX48 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the FX48 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FX48 was released 23 months prior to the K-5 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FX48 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the FX48 matches up versus the K-5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 & Pentax K-5. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FX48 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you should factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic FX48 has physical dimensions of 95mm x 53mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FX48 and Pentax K-5 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the FX48 against the K-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FX48 and K-5 is 95 and 60 respectively.

Typically, it can be hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes only by reviewing a spec sheet. The pic here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the FX48 and K-5.

As you can see, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FX48 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-5 will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will let you crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged FX48 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.