Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax K-5

Its time to examine more closely at the Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax K-5, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the GF5 (12MP) and K-5 (16MP) and the GF5 (Four Thirds) and K-5 (APS-C) possess different sensor measurements.

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The GF5 was brought out 16 months later than the K-5 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the GF5 matches up versus the K-5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 & Pentax K-5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic GF5 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GF5 comes with exterior dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has proportions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Check the Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax K-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the GF5 against the K-5.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the GF5 and K-5 is 89 and 60 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to imagine the difference between sensor sizing just by reading through technical specs. The graphic below will help offer you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF5 and K-5.

As you have seen, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The GF5 because of its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K-5 will give more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The more recent GF5 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.