Panasonic FX78 vs Pentax K-7

Below is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic FX78 and Pentax K-7, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the FX78 (12MP) and the K-7 (15MP) is fairly comparable but the FX78 (1/2.3") and K-7 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FX78 was introduced 16 months later than the K-7 making them a generation apart from one another. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FX78 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-7 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a full comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the FX78 matches up against the K-7 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX78 and Pentax K-7. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FX78 Gallery and Pentax K-7 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you will want to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FX78 provides external measurements of 100mm x 55mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-7 has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FX78 and Pentax K-7 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the FX78 compared to the K-7.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FX78 and K-7 is 95 and 60 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to envision the gap in sensor measurements just by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic underneath should offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FX78 and K-7.

As you can see, the two cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FX78 using its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more challenging and the Pentax K-7 will produce more detail using its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern FX78 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.