Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

On this page, we are analyzing the Panasonic GH1 and Pentax K-5 IIs, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the GH1 (12MP) and K-5 IIs (16MP) and the GH1 (Four Thirds) and K-5 IIs (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The GH1 was introduced 4 years earlier than the K-5 IIs and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GH1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a concise summation of how the GH1 matches up against the K-5 IIs in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 and Pentax K-5 IIs. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic GH1 Gallery and Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.

If you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GH1 has got exterior measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 IIs has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic GH1 and Pentax K-5 IIs in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the GH1 vs the K-5 IIs.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the GH1 and K-5 IIs is 81 and 60 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing merely by researching specifications. The graphic below might provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the GH1 and K-5 IIs.

To sum up, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The GH1 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax K-5 IIs will render more detail using its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively. The older GH1 will be behind in sensor innovation.