Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax K-3

Following is a complete review of the Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax K-3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the GF1 (12MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the GF1 (Four Thirds) and K-3 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The GF1 was announced 5 years before the K-3 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple overview of how the GF1 scores versus the K-3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 & Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF1 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GF1 comes with physical dimensions of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 has dimensions 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 GF1 vs Pentax K-3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the GF1 vs the K-3.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GF1 and K-3 is 85 and 59 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to picture the contrast between sensor sizes just by checking specifications. The picture below should provide you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF1 and K-3.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The GF1 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-3 will give you more detail with its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged GF1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.