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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500

Portability
90
Imaging
54
Features
62
Overall
57
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8 front
 
Pentax K-500 front
Portability
64
Imaging
58
Features
70
Overall
62

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Key Specs

Panasonic GF8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 266g - 107 x 65 x 33mm
  • Introduced February 2016
  • Succeeded the Panasonic GF7
Pentax K-500
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 646g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Released November 2013
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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Overview

On this page, we are reviewing the Panasonic GF8 versus Pentax K-500, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the GF8 (16MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is very well matched but the GF8 (Four Thirds) and K-500 (APS-C) posses different sensor measurements.

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The GF8 was released 2 years later than the K-500 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a full comparison, here is a simple summary of how the GF8 matches up against the K-500 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GF8 over the Pentax K-500

 GF8 K-500 
ReleasedFebruary 2016November 2013Fresher by 27 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display resolution1040k921kSharper display (+119k dot)
Touch friendly display Easily navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax K-500 over the Panasonic GF8

 K-500 GF8 

Common features in the Panasonic GF8 and Pentax K-500

 GF8 K-500 
Manually focus Very precise focusing
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display measurements
Selfie screen Missing selfie screen

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Physical Comparison

If you are looking to carry your camera, you will have to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GF8 provides outside dimensions of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-500 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF8 versus Pentax K-500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the GF8 and the K-500.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GF8 and K-500 is 90 and 64 respectively.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, it is hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here should give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF8 and K-500.

As you can see, the two cameras have the same megapixels but different sensor sizing. The GF8 features the tinier sensor which should make obtaining bokeh harder. The more recent GF8 provides an advantage with regard to sensor technology.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 sensor size comparison

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Portrait photography advice
Pentax K-500 Portrait photography advice
65
manual focus
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
provides face detect focus
exports RAW files
external flash not possible
74
focusing manually
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
offers face detect focusing
saves RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Street photography information
Pentax K-500 Street photography information
80
tilting screen
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
includes focus by touch
very good ISO range (25,600)
lack of image stabilization
68
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
saves RAW files
great high ISO (51,600)
no moving screen
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Sports photography features
Pentax K-500 Sports photography features
49
silent shutter (1/16,000 seconds)
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
provides tracking focus
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/500 seconds)
slow continuous shooting (5.8 frames per second)
lack of image stabilization
bad battery power (230 CIPA)
does not have phase detect auto focus
72
max shutter speed is good (1/6,000 seconds)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
offers tracking focus
great battery (710 per charge)
comes with phase detect AF
very slow continuous shooting (6.0 frames per second)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Travel photography info
Pentax K-500 Travel photography info
66
includes focus by touch
MP count decent (16MP)
has built in flash
no Time Lapse mode
bad battery power (230 shots)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
67
great battery (710 shots)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic GF8
Landscape photography with Pentax K-500
65
manual focus
change lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
MP count decent (16MP)
sensor size is good (Four Thirds)
very good ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW files
lack of image stabilization
bad battery power (230 shots)
no Time Lapse mode
79
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
great high ISO (51,600)
saves RAW files
great battery (710 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Vlogging advice
Pentax K-500 Vlogging advice
33
has touchscreen
provides face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
lack of image stabilization
no mic port
30
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
offers face detect focusing
video res high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have microphone support
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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax K-500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GF8 and Pentax K-500
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8Pentax K-500
General Information
Company Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8 Pentax K-500
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced 2016-02-15 2013-11-27
Physical type Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Venus Engine PRIME M
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor measurements 17.3 x 13mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Maximum resolution 4592 x 3448 4928 x 3264
Maximum native ISO 25600 51600
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW data
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 23 11
Cross focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds Pentax KAF2
Available lenses 107 151
Focal length multiplier 2.1 1.5
Screen
Type of display Tilting Fixed Type
Display sizing 3" 3"
Resolution of display 1,040 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Display tech - TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60s 30s
Maximum shutter speed 1/500s 1/6000s
Maximum quiet shutter speed 1/16000s -
Continuous shooting rate 5.8 frames/s 6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 5.60 m (at ISO 200) 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash on, flash on w/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync w/redeye reduction, flash off Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
White balance bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/180s
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 50p, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p) 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 266 gr (0.59 lbs) 646 gr (1.42 lbs)
Physical dimensions 107 x 65 x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 79
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 13.1
DXO Low light score not tested 1087
Other
Battery life 230 images 710 images
Battery style Battery Pack AA
Battery model - 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3-shot/10 sec) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse shooting
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Cost at launch $549 $600