Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax K10D

Below, we will be looking at the Panasonic GF3 and Pentax K10D, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GF3 (12MP) and the K10D (10MP) is relatively similar but the GF3 (Four Thirds) and K10D (APS-C) enjoy different sensor size.

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The GF3 was launched 4 years after the K10D which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K10D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a short summary of how the GF3 matches up against the K10D with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and Pentax K10D. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic GF3 Gallery and Pentax K10D Gallery.

For those who are going to travel with your camera regularly, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic GF3 has outside 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) and the Pentax K10D has sizing of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 793 grams (1.75 lbs).

See the Panasonic GF3 and Pentax K10D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Below is the front view dimensions comparison of the GF3 and the K10D.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the GF3 and K10D is 90 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, it's tough to picture the difference between sensor dimensions purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The pic underneath will give you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF3 and K10D.

Clearly, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The GF3 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic GF3 will deliver more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs much more aggressively. The fresher GF3 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.