Panasonic FZ300 vs Pentax K-50

Lets take a deeper look at the Panasonic FZ300 vs Pentax K-50, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a considerable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FZ300 (12MP) and K-50 (16MP) and the FZ300 (1/2.3") and K-50 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FZ300 was unveiled 20 months later than the K-50 which makes them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise view of how the FZ300 matches up vs the K-50 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 & Pentax K-50. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ300 Gallery & Pentax K-50 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic FZ300 offers external dimensions of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") with a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-50 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FZ300 vs Pentax K-50 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the FZ300 versus the K-50.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ300 and K-50 is 59 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to picture the gap between sensor sizing simply by checking specs. The graphic below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ300 and K-50.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FZ300 using its tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax K-50 will resolve greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures more aggressively. The fresher FZ300 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.