Panasonic FZ40 vs Pentax K-x

Here, we are reviewing the Panasonic FZ40 and Pentax K-x, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the FZ40 (14MP) and the K-x (12MP) is fairly close but the FZ40 (1/2.3") and K-x (APS-C) offer totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FZ40 was manufactured 7 months after the K-x so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K-x being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a quick view of how the FZ40 grades versus the K-x when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 & Pentax K-x. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FZ40 Gallery & Pentax K-x Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FZ40 comes with external measurements 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-x has measurements of 123mm x 92mm x 68mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.7") accompanied by a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ40 and Pentax K-x in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the FZ40 versus the K-x.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FZ40 and K-x is 68 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to visualise the difference in sensor dimensions purely by viewing a spec sheet. The pic underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ40 and K-x.

Clearly, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FZ40 featuring a smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic FZ40 will render extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more recent FZ40 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.