Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax S1

The following is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax S1, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the GF8 (16MP) and the S1 (14MP) is pretty close but the GF8 (Four Thirds) and S1 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The GF8 was released 5 years after the S1 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax S1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a brief summary of how the GF8 matches up versus the S1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8 and Pentax Optio S1. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF8 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GF8 offers external measurements of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Pentax S1 has dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax S1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at that time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the GF8 against the S1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the GF8 and S1 is 90 and 93 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to see the gap in sensor dimensions just by viewing specifications. The image below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the GF8 and S1.

Plainly, each of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The GF8 due to its bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh easier and the Panasonic GF8 will result in greater detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively. The newer GF8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.