Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax K-1

Lets take a closer look at the Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax K-1, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the GF3 (12MP) and K-1 (36MP) and the GF3 (Four Thirds) and K-1 (Full frame) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The GF3 was released 5 years earlier than the K-1 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summary of how the GF3 matches up vs the K-1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 & Pentax K-1. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF3 Gallery & Pentax K-1 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GF3 has got physical dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") along with a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Pentax K-1 has measurements of 137mm x 110mm x 86mm (5.4" x 4.3" x 3.4") and a weight of 1010 grams (2.23 lbs).

Check the Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax K-1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the GF3 versus the K-1.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GF3 and K-1 is 90 and 55 respectively.

Sometimes, its tough to see the contrast between sensor measurements just by checking specifications. The graphic underneath will provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the GF3 and K-1.

To sum up, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The GF3 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Pentax K-1 will give you greater detail as a result of its extra 24 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The older GF3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.