Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax K100D S

Lets take a closer look at the Panasonic GF1 and Pentax K100D S, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a significant gap among the sensor resolutions of the GF1 (12MP) and K100D S (6MP) and the GF1 (Four Thirds) and K100D S (APS-C) boast different sensor size.

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The GF1 was introduced 2 years after the K100D S which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K100D S being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple summary of how the GF1 matches up versus the K100D S with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 and Pentax K100D Super. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic GF1 Gallery and Pentax K100D S Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GF1 has outer dimensions of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") and a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) while the Pentax K100D S has measurements of 129mm x 91mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.6" x 2.8") along with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic GF1 and Pentax K100D S in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the GF1 and the K100D S.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GF1 and K100D S is 85 and 65 respectively.

More often than not, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions merely by checking out technical specs. The picture below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF1 and K100D S.

As you have seen, both the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The GF1 with its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Panasonic GF1 will provide extra detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs way more aggressively. The more recent GF1 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.