Panasonic FZ40 vs Pentax 645D

In this article, we are reviewing the Panasonic FZ40 vs Pentax 645D, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the FZ40 (14MP) and 645D (40MP) and the FZ40 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The FZ40 was announced 5 months after the 645D so they are of a similar generation. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a full comparison, below is a concise overview of how the FZ40 scores against the 645D when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 and Pentax 645D. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FZ40 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FZ40 comes with exterior dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") and a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") and a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ40 vs Pentax 645D in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the FZ40 compared to the 645D.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ40 and 645D is 68 and 50 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to envision the contrast in sensor sizes just by looking through specs. The pic underneath will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ40 and 645D.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FZ40 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF harder and the Pentax 645D will result in greater detail with its extra 26MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images far more aggressively.