Panasonic G5 vs Pentax S1

The following is a complete assessment of the Panasonic G5 and Pentax S1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the G5 (16MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly close but the G5 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The G5 was manufactured 17 months after the S1 making the cameras a generation away from each other. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic G5 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a simple overview of how the G5 grades vs the S1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G5 and Pentax Optio S1. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic G5 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic G5 enjoys outer dimensions of 120mm x 83mm x 71mm (4.7" x 3.3" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 396 grams (0.87 lbs) whilst the Pentax S1 has dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

See the Panasonic G5 and Pentax S1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the G5 and the S1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the G5 and S1 is 74 and 93 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions purely by viewing specifications. The picture underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the G5 and S1.

To sum up, both of those cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The G5 featuring a larger sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic G5 will result in more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The younger G5 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.