Panasonic FZ100 vs Pentax 645D

Here, we will be evaluating the Panasonic FZ100 and Pentax 645D, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the FZ100 (14MP) and 645D (40MP) and the FZ100 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) have totally different sensor size.

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The FZ100 was released 5 months later than the 645D and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ100 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving into a comprehensive comparison, here is a short summary of how the FZ100 scores versus the 645D with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100 and Pentax 645D. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ100 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FZ100 provides exterior dimensions of 124mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.2" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 540 grams (1.19 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") with a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FZ100 and Pentax 645D in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the FZ100 versus the 645D.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the FZ100 and 645D is 67 and 50 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to visualise the gap in sensor sizing purely by looking through technical specs. The photograph below will give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ100 and 645D.

As you can tell, each of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FZ100 featuring a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Pentax 645D will result in greater detail as a result of its extra 26 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively.