Panasonic FZ80 vs Pentax K-3 II

In this article, we are matching up the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax K-3 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the image resolutions of the FZ80 (18MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the FZ80 (1/2.3") and K-3 II (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FZ80 was introduced 21 months after the K-3 II making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick view of how the FZ80 scores versus the K-3 II in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Pentax K-3 II. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FZ80 Gallery and Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FZ80 offers outer measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") and a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 II 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).

Examine the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax K-3 II in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the FZ80 compared to the K-3 II.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ80 and K-3 II is 63 and 59 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualise the contrast in sensor sizes just by researching specs. The picture below may offer you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FZ80 and K-3 II.

All in all, both the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FZ80 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-3 II will provide you with greater detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more modern FZ80 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.