Panasonic GF5 vs Pentax K-5 II

The following is a comprehensive overview of the Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax K-5 II, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the sensor resolutions of the GF5 (12MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the GF5 (Four Thirds) and K-5 II (APS-C) boast different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The GF5 was revealed 14 months before the K-5 II which makes them a generation away from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the GF5 grades versus the K-5 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 and Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic GF5 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GF5 provides outside dimensions of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF5 versus Pentax K-5 II in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you use at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the GF5 against the K-5 II.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the GF5 and K-5 II is 89 and 60 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very difficult to picture the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by reading through specifications. The pic underneath may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF5 and K-5 II.

To sum up, both of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The GF5 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-5 II will give more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged GF5 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.