Panasonic FZ28 vs Pentax K-5

In this write-up, we will be reviewing the Panasonic FZ28 and Pentax K-5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the FZ28 (10MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the FZ28 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizes.

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The FZ28 was unveiled 23 months prior to the K-5 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ28 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a brief summary of how the FZ28 matches up vs the K-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 & Pentax K-5. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ28 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FZ28 has got external measurements of 118mm x 75mm x 89mm (4.6" x 3.0" x 3.5") accompanied by a weight of 417 grams (0.92 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 has proportions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") and a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FZ28 and Pentax K-5 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the FZ28 and the K-5.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FZ28 and K-5 is 72 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to picture the gap between sensor measurements merely by going over technical specs. The visual here will give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ28 and K-5.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FZ28 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Pentax K-5 will offer you more detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older FZ28 is going to be behind in sensor technology.