Panasonic G85 vs Pentax K-S1

On this page, we will be analyzing the Panasonic G85 and Pentax K-S1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the G85 (16MP) and the K-S1 (20MP) is pretty comparable but the G85 (Four Thirds) and K-S1 (APS-C) posses different sensor measurements.

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The G85 was unveiled 2 years after the K-S1 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-S1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a detailed comparison, here is a brief view of how the G85 scores versus the K-S1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 & Pentax K-S1. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic G85 Gallery & Pentax K-S1 Gallery.

If you are going to carry around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic G85 comes with physical dimensions of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") and a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-S1 has proportions of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") with a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic G85 and Pentax K-S1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the G85 vs the K-S1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the G85 and K-S1 is 69 and 69 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizes purely by checking out technical specs. The image underneath will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the G85 and K-S1.

As you can tell, each of the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The G85 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax K-S1 will provide greater detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots more aggressively. The more modern G85 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.