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Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r

Portability
81
Imaging
49
Features
57
Overall
52
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 front
 
Pentax K-r front
Portability
67
Imaging
53
Features
52
Overall
52

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Key Specs

Panasonic GH1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fully Articulated Display
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Bump to 3200)
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 385g - 124 x 90 x 45mm
  • Announced July 2009
  • Renewed by Panasonic GH2
Pentax K-r
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 200 - 12800 (Expand to 25600)
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Max Shutter
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 598g - 125 x 97 x 68mm
  • Revealed March 2011
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Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Overview

Here is a in-depth comparison of the Panasonic GH1 versus Pentax K-r, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the GH1 (12MP) and the K-r (12MP) is fairly well matched but the GH1 (Four Thirds) and K-r (APS-C) use totally different sensor size.

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The GH1 was unveiled 20 months before the K-r making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GH1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-r being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a simple summation of how the GH1 scores against the K-r with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GH1 over the Pentax K-r

 GH1 K-r 
Display typeFully ArticulatedFixed Fully Articulating display
Selfie screen Easy selfies

Reasons to pick Pentax K-r over the Panasonic GH1

 K-r GH1 
RevealedMarch 2011July 2009Fresher by 20 months
Display resolution921k460kClearer display (+461k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic GH1 and Pentax K-r

 GH1 K-r 
Focus manually More accurate focus
Display dimension3"3"Identical display size
Touch friendly display Neither has Touch friendly display

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Physical Comparison

If you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GH1 has outside measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") along with a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) and the Pentax K-r has proportions of 125mm x 97mm x 68mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 2.7") along with a weight of 598 grams (1.32 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic GH1 versus Pentax K-r in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view size comparison of the GH1 vs the K-r.

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the GH1 and K-r is 81 and 67 respectively.

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing simply by looking at a spec sheet. The visual here should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the GH1 and K-r.

Clearly, each of the cameras posses the exact same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The GH1 offers the tinier sensor which is going to make achieving shallower DOF trickier. The older GH1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r sensor size comparison

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic GH1 Portrait photography information
Pentax K-r Portrait photography information
59
focusing manually
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
MP count low (12MP)
63
manual focus
decent sensor size (APS-C)
has face detection focus
supports RAW files
low megapixels (12MP)
Photography Glossary

Street Comparison

Street photography with Panasonic GH1
Street photography with Pentax K-r
72
screen articulates
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
no image stabilization
67
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
screen does not articulate
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GH1 Sports photography info
Pentax K-r Sports photography info
32
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
max frames per second very slow (3.0 fps)
no image stabilization
MP count low (12MP)
bad battery life (320 CIPA)
has no phase detect auto focus
55
high shutter speed (1/6,000 seconds)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
comes with phase detect auto focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (6.0 fps)
low megapixels (12 megapixels)
not so great battery pack (470 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic GH1
Travel photography with Pentax K-r
58
has built in flash
selfie friendly display
doesn't have Time Lapse function
bad battery life (320 CIPA)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
47
built-in flash
not so great battery pack (470 CIPA)
low megapixels (12MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic GH1 Landscape photography features
Pentax K-r Landscape photography features
55
focusing manually
interchangeable lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
screen size is good (3 inch)
good sensor size (Four Thirds)
delivers RAW formats
no image stabilization
MP count low (12MP)
bad battery life (320 shots)
doesn't have Time Lapse function
65
manual focus
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen is a good size (3 inches)
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
supports RAW files
low megapixels (12MP)
not so great battery pack (470 per charge)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic GH1 as a Vlogging camera
Pentax K-r as a Vlogging camera
72
selfie friendly display
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
comes with external mic jack
no image stabilization
26
has image stabilization (Sensor based)
has face detection focus
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of external microphone support
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Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax K-r Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GH1 and Pentax K-r
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1Pentax K-r
General Information
Manufacturer Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 Pentax K-r
Category Advanced Mirrorless Entry-Level DSLR
Announced 2009-07-10 2011-03-11
Physical type SLR-style mirrorless Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Chip Venus Engine HD Prime II
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size Four Thirds APS-C
Sensor measurements 18.89 x 14.48mm 23.6 x 15.8mm
Sensor surface area 273.5mm² 372.9mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Max resolution 4000 x 3000 4288 x 2848
Max native ISO 1600 12800
Max enhanced ISO 3200 25600
Min native ISO 100 200
RAW images
Min enhanced ISO - 100
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detect focusing
Contract detect focusing
Phase detect focusing
Number of focus points - 11
Cross focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds Pentax KAF2
Amount of lenses 107 151
Focal length multiplier 1.9 1.5
Screen
Display type Fully Articulated Fixed Type
Display sizing 3" 3"
Display resolution 460k dots 921k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display tech - TFT LCD monitor
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder Electronic Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage 100 percent 96 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.57x
Features
Min shutter speed 60s 30s
Max shutter speed 1/4000s 1/6000s
Continuous shutter rate 3.0 frames per second 6.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Change WB
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 10.50 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, Red-eye Reduction, Slow-speed Sync, Trailing Curtain Sync, High-Speed Sync and Wireless Sync
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Max flash synchronize 1/160s 1/180s
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60 fps), 1280 x 720 (60 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (25 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video data format AVCHD Motion JPEG
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None 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 385g (0.85 lbs) 598g (1.32 lbs)
Dimensions 124 x 90 x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") 125 x 97 x 68mm (4.9" x 3.8" x 2.7")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 64 72
DXO Color Depth score 21.6 22.9
DXO Dynamic range score 11.6 12.4
DXO Low light score 772 755
Other
Battery life 320 photographs 470 photographs
Type of battery Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model - D-LI109,4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC SD/SDHC
Card slots One One
Price at release $949 $1,100