Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax WS80

Let's examine more in depth at the Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax WS80, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Waterproof by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the GH1 (12MP) and the WS80 (10MP) is pretty close but the GH1 (Four Thirds) and WS80 (1/2.3") possess different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The GH1 was manufactured within a month of the WS80 so they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GH1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax WS80 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the GH1 scores vs the WS80 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH1 & Pentax Optio WS80. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic GH1 Gallery & Pentax WS80 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GH1 comes with exterior dimensions of 124mm x 90mm x 45mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 1.8") with a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) and the Pentax WS80 has proportions of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic GH1 vs Pentax WS80 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the GH1 compared to the WS80.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GH1 and WS80 is 81 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor measurements purely by researching a spec sheet. The visual underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GH1 and WS80.

Clearly, each of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The GH1 because of its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic GH1 will provide you with more detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs much more aggressively.