Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax P80

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic GF3 and Pentax P80, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the GF3 (12MP) and the P80 (12MP) is very close but the GF3 (Four Thirds) and P80 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The GF3 was released 2 years later than the P80 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax P80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a quick summation of how the GF3 grades versus the P80 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and Pentax Optio P80. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF3 Gallery and Pentax P80 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic GF3 has external dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs) while the Pentax P80 has sizing of 102mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.0") having a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GF3 and Pentax P80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have during that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the GF3 compared to the P80.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the GF3 and P80 is 90 and 95 respectively.

In many cases, its hard to see the contrast in sensor measurements just by looking through specifications. The visual below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF3 and P80.

Plainly, the 2 cameras provide the same MP but not the same sensor measurements. The GF3 uses the larger sensor which is going to make achieving bokeh simpler. The more modern GF3 will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.