Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax 645D

Lets look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic GF1 versus Pentax 645D, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Pro DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the sensor resolutions of the GF1 (12MP) and 645D (40MP) and the GF1 (Four Thirds) and 645D (Medium format) provide different sensor sizing.

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The GF1 was announced 4 months before the 645D so they are both of a similar generation. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a brief overview of how the GF1 scores against the 645D for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 and Pentax 645D. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic GF1 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera, you'll have to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic GF1 provides outer measurements of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) whilst the Pentax 645D has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") and a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic GF1 versus Pentax 645D in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you select at that moment. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the GF1 compared to the 645D.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the GF1 and 645D is 85 and 50 respectively.

Often, its hard to picture the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through technical specs. The graphic underneath will give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the GF1 and 645D.

As you have seen, both of those cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GF1 with its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax 645D will provide you with greater detail with its extra 28 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively.