Panasonic FX78 vs Pentax 645Z

Its time to look a little more closely at the Panasonic FX78 and Pentax 645Z, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the FX78 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the FX78 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FX78 was released 4 years prior to the 645Z which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before going through a in depth comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the FX78 grades against the 645Z with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 and Pentax 645Z. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FX78 Gallery and Pentax 645Z Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FX78 enjoys outer measurements of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Pentax 645Z has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") having a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

See the Panasonic FX78 and Pentax 645Z in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the FX78 against the 645Z.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FX78 and 645Z is 95 and 49 respectively.

Generally, it is very tough to picture the difference between sensor dimensions merely by going over a spec sheet. The pic underneath should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FX78 and 645Z.

Clearly, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FX78 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Pentax 645Z will deliver extra detail as a result of its extra 39 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged FX78 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.