Panasonic FZ40 vs Pentax K-3

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic FZ40 and Pentax K-3, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the FZ40 (14MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the FZ40 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) have different sensor dimensions.

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The FZ40 was announced 4 years earlier than the K-3 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the FZ40 scores vs the K-3 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 and Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ40 Gallery and Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FZ40 has got physical dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has proportions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ40 and Pentax K-3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the FZ40 compared to the K-3.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the FZ40 and K-3 is 68 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, its difficult to picture the gap in sensor sizing simply by viewing specifications. The photograph below might give you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ40 and K-3.

Plainly, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FZ40 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-3 will result in extra detail with its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots way more aggressively. The older FZ40 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.