Panasonic FX90 vs Pentax KP

The following is a complete assessment of the Panasonic FX90 and Pentax KP, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FX90 (12MP) and KP (24MP) and the FX90 (1/2.3") and KP (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FX90 was manufactured 6 years earlier than the KP which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FX90 being a Compact camera and the Pentax KP being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the FX90 grades vs the KP in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 and Pentax KP. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FX90 Gallery and Pentax KP Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FX90 provides exterior dimensions of 102mm x 56mm x 22mm (4.0" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 149 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Pentax KP has proportions of 132mm x 101mm x 76mm (5.2" x 4.0" x 3.0") with a weight of 703 grams (1.55 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FX90 and Pentax KP in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that time. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the FX90 compared to the KP.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FX90 and KP is 95 and 61 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to imagine the contrast between sensor dimensions merely by reading technical specs. The picture below might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FX90 and KP.

As you have seen, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FX90 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax KP will offer you more detail due to its extra 12 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged FX90 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.