Panasonic GF3 vs Pentax S1

Below is a comprehensive analysis of the Panasonic GF3 versus Pentax S1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GF3 (12MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly comparable but the GF3 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") posses different sensor sizes.

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The GF3 was launched 6 months later than the S1 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GF3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a short overview of how the GF3 grades against the S1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 and Pentax Optio S1. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic GF3 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera often, you have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic GF3 provides outside measurements of 108mm x 67mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 264 grams (0.58 lbs) whilst the Pentax S1 has specifications of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic GF3 versus Pentax S1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the GF3 against the S1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the GF3 and S1 is 90 and 93 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to visualize the difference in sensor measurements simply by checking out specs. The visual here will help give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the GF3 and S1.

All in all, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The GF3 due to its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Pentax S1 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a good deal more aggressively.