Deciding Between the Compact Panasonic FX580 and the Advanced Pentax K-5: A Detailed Comparison

Choosing the right camera can feel like navigating a jungle, especially when you’re comparing two devices as different as the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX580 and the Pentax K-5. One is a compact, user-friendly point-and-shoot released in 2009, the other a seasoned DSLR from 2010 aimed at enthusiasts and professionals. Having tested both extensively, I’ll walk you through how these cameras stack up across various photography disciplines - portraiture, landscapes, wildlife, and more - while breaking down their technical merits and real-world usability.

So, if you’re torn between a budget-friendly compact or a beefier DSLR, here’s what you need to know.

Size and Handling: Pocketable Simplicity vs. Ergonomic Bulk

Let’s start with what you literally hold in your hand. The Panasonic FX580 is the definition of portability. Weighing just 167 grams with dimensions of 95×57×22 mm, it slides easily into jacket or even pants pockets. The Pentax K-5, by contrast, is a considerably larger and heavier DSLR at 740 grams and 131×97×73 mm. You really feel that extra heft - and, truth be told, it’s a positive if you like solid camera grips or shoot handheld for long periods.

The FX580’s compact size makes it ideal for travel, street, and casual shooting. Its small footprint, however, limits direct ergonomic features such as multiple customizable buttons or a deep hand grip. The Pentax K-5 offers a full set of physical dials and a substantial grip that facilitates stable handling during bursts or heavy lenses.

If you favor minimalism and ease of carry, the Panasonic’s charm is evident. But if you crave manual control and body stability - a key factor in professional or fast-action photography - the K-5 is far superior.

Top Controls and User Interface: Simplicity vs. Customization

Switching to camera controls, the FX580 keeps things incredibly straightforward. It features no manual focus ring, limited aperture and shutter priority modes, and a fixed lens. What you get is more of an automatic experience - good for quick snaps but cumbersome if you want nuanced control.

The Pentax K-5’s top view tells a different story entirely.

With dedicated dials for shutter speed, exposure compensation, and multiple driving modes including manual exposure, the K-5 is designed for photographers who want to take command. It even offers a top LCD panel showing key settings - something missing on the FX580 entirely.

From experience, if you prefer setting your exposure precisely or switching focus modes on the fly, the K-5’s extensive controls win out. The Panasonic is friendlier for beginners but quickly shows limits when experimenting beyond snapshot mode.

Sensor Size and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Here’s the biggest technical gap that determines image quality: sensor size.

The FX580 uses a tiny 1/2.3-inch CCD sensor (6.08×4.56 mm), typical of compact cameras from its era. At 12 megapixels, it’s not resolution-starved, but the sensor size means image noise creeps in at ISO settings above 400, and dynamic range is constrained.

On the other hand, the Pentax K-5 boasts a large APS-C CMOS sensor measuring 23.7×15.7 mm with 16 megapixels. The difference in sensor surface area (roughly 372 mm² vs. 28 mm²) dramatically impacts image quality, noise control, and color depth.

In practice, you’ll notice the K-5 delivers richer tones, cleaner images at high ISO up to 6400 native (and expandable), and better detail retention in shadows and highlights. This comes into sharp relief in challenging lighting, such as indoor or night photography.

Screens and Viewfinders: Monitoring Your Shot

The FX580 features a fixed 3-inch LCD with a low 230k-dot resolution, which by modern standards is quite modest. The display doesn’t tilt or articulate, nor is it touchscreen-capable. No EVF is present, so framing relies solely on the rear screen.

The K-5’s 3-inch TFT LCD boasts a higher 921k-dot resolution, clearer during daylight, and offers live view alongside the traditional optical pentaprism viewfinder with 100% coverage and 0.61x magnification.

In practical terms, if you compose mainly outdoors or require precise framing, the K-5’s viewfinder is a significant advantage. The FX580’s LCD can be tough to see in bright sun and doesn’t provide the tactile feedback or framing accuracy DSLRs are known for.

How They Perform Across Photography Genres

Now, where things get interesting: actual use.

Portrait Photography: Rendering Skin and Eyes

Portraits rely heavily on skin tone fidelity, background separation (bokeh), and sharp eye detection.

• Panasonic FX580: With its 25-125 mm equivalent zoom and maximum f/2.8 aperture at the wide end, it offers decent subject isolation for snapshots. However, the small sensor and fixed lens limit true bokeh quality. The face detection autofocus works but can be sluggish, and it lacks eye detection technologies. Skin tones are generally okay but slightly flattened in direct sunlight.

• Pentax K-5: Offers interchangeable lenses, including fast primes with apertures as wide as f/1.4, enabling creamy bokeh and distinct subject separation. Its advanced autofocus system with 11 focus points (9 cross-type) and face detection allows for precise eye focusing. Color reproduction and skin tone rendering are rich and natural thanks to the larger sensor.

So, for flattering portraits with artistic control, the K-5 is clearly the preferred choice.

Landscape and Nature: Dynamic Range and Detail

Landscape photography demands high resolution, dynamic range to capture shadow and highlight detail, and durable gear for sometimes adverse conditions.

The Pentax K-5 is weather sealed against dust and moisture (a big plus) and has superior image quality thanks to its APS-C CMOS sensor. It produces high-resolution files at nearly 16 MP with excellent shadow detail and can leverage high-quality wide-angle lenses. Its longer shutter speeds and manual controls allow using filters and long exposures.

The FX580, while compact and easy to carry on hikes, shows limited dynamic range and struggles with fine detail. Its 5x optical zoom is handy but lacks wide-angle breadth and optical clarity compared to SLR lenses.

Action Photography: Sports and Wildlife

The FX580’s maximum continuous shooting speed is a gentle 2 frames per second (fps), and its autofocus relies on contrast detection only, without continuous AF tracking. These specs limit its usability for sports or wildlife, where fast and reliable focus tracking and burst speed matter.

The Pentax K-5 features 7 fps continuous shooting, phase-detection autofocus with 11 points (9 cross-type) including continuous AF tracking, and a robust build to endure rigorous conditions if you pair it with suitable telephoto lenses.

My own tests at birding and street sports events confirmed the K-5’s capabilities in locking focus on moving subjects, a feat the Panasonic can’t match.

Street and Travel: Portability vs. Versatility

Here is where the FX580 shines - its light weight and pocket-friendliness make it perfect for candid street photography and spontaneous travel shots. Its fixed lens covers a practical 25–125 mm range, great for quick framing.

The K-5, while bulkier, offers versatility through interchangeable lenses and superior image quality, though you’ll need to carry extra gear. The 980-shot battery life on the K-5 also means fewer worries on long days out.

If sheer convenience is your priority, go Panasonic; if sets of lenses and higher-quality images weigh more, Pentax wins.

Macro and Close-Up

Panasonic’s 5 cm minimum focus distance and optical stabilization help in casual close-ups or flower shots. But without focus stacking or advanced macro modes, results remain basic.

The K-5 allows specialized macro lenses and benefits from sensor-based stabilization, so detail and precision reach a professional level. The manual focus option also permits critical focus control.

Low Light and Night/Astro Photography

Low-light performance is where sensor size plays again.

The Panasonic FX580’s max native ISO is 1600, with digital boosts to 6400, but noise becomes problematic beyond ISO 400-800. Its CCD sensor and dated processing don’t handle low light smoothly.

Pentax K-5’s native ISO sensitivity peaks at 12800 and extends to 51200 with boosted modes, maintaining decent image quality. Its larger sensor allows longer exposures and cleaner images, critical for night and astro photography. The camera also supports electronic shutter speeds up to 1/8000s enabling flexibility.

Video Features: Basic Capture vs. Advanced Recording

Despite being from the compact realm, the FX580 can record HD video at 1280×720 pixels at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format, a bit limited and resulting in large files.

The Pentax K-5 shoots Full HD 1920×1080 at 25 fps, includes 720p modes, and has a microphone port for external audio input - great for video enthusiasts.

Neither offers 4K or advanced video functions like slow motion or clean HDMI output, but K-5’s richer codec options and audio support give it a clear edge.

Build Quality and Weather Resistance: Ready for Rough Conditions?

While the Panasonic FX580 offers a sleek metal body, it lacks weather sealing and is vulnerable to dust and moisture.

Pentax’s K-5 body is magnesium alloy and fully weather-sealed to resist rain and dust - a feature I personally value during adverse shoots outdoors.

If you shoot extensively outdoors, this robustness adds peace of mind.

Battery Life and Storage: Keep Shooting Longer

The FX580 uses compact, unspecified batteries with no officially quoted life but generally modest endurance for casual use.

The Pentax K-5 boasts approximately 980 shots per charge using the D-LI90 battery pack, a boon for prolonged shooting sessions without frequent recharges.

Both cameras support a single memory card slot: FX580 accommodates SD/SDHC, and the K-5 adds SDXC compatibility.

Connectivity and Extras

Neither model offers built-in WiFi, Bluetooth, or NFC, unsurprising given their release dates.

Both feature HDMI and USB 2.0 ports for basic external connections, though K-5’s support for GPS modules is an added plus.

Image Samples and Output Quality

To give you a sense of their output side-by-side, here are sample images captured (in similar lighting and subjects):

Panasonic FX580 front Panasonic FX580 screen back Pentax K 5 front Pentax K 5 screen back

Notice how the Pentax K-5’s image delivers superior clarity, dynamic range, and color fidelity, while the Panasonic FX580’s shots are softer with limited shadow details.

Overall Performance Ratings and Value

Here’s a holistic look at how each camera scores across various performance criteria, based on extensive hands-on benchmarks and lab analysis:

The K-5 ranks significantly higher due to sensor size, autofocus sophistication, build quality, and versatility. The FX580 sits modestly as an easy-to-use, compact snapshot device.

Genre-Specific Performance: Where Each Camera Excels

Breaking down by photographic genres:

• Panasonic FX580: Travel, street, casual portraits
• Pentax K-5: Wildlife, sports, portraits, landscapes, macro, low light

Recommendations for Different User Profiles

If you’re a beginner, casual shooter, or someone who wants a pocketable point-and-shoot for travel, family, or quick street snaps:
The Panasonic FX580’s simple interface, compact size, and modest zoom will serve you well. It keeps photography accessible without drowning you in complexity.

If you’re an enthusiast or professional seeking advanced control, image quality, and versatility:
The Pentax K-5’s robust sensor, fast autofocus, weather sealing, and wide lens ecosystem will reward your investment many times over. It’s a capable workhorse suitable for demanding work - from portraits to wildlife and beyond.

Budget-wise, the Panasonic is cheaper (under $500 new back in its day), but the K-5, despite being older, still holds value around $800, justified by its advanced features.

Wrap-Up: Which One Should You Choose?

In my experience after testing both extensively across multiple environments and subjects, the decision boils down to your photography ambitions and priorities.

• For casual use, convenience, and spontaneous shooting, the Panasonic FX580 is a solid compact that fits easily into your lifestyle.
• For versatility, superior image quality, and creative freedom, the Pentax K-5 remains a fantastic choice for serious photographers, especially if paired with good lenses.

I hope this detailed comparison helps you cut through the specs and see how these cameras perform in real, everyday photography. Feel free to drop me questions if you want insights on lenses for the K-5, specific shooting tips, or more sample images.

Happy shooting!