Panasonic GM5 vs Pentax K-3 II

Below is a in depth review of the Panasonic GM5 and Pentax K-3 II, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the GM5 (16MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the GM5 (Four Thirds) and K-3 II (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The GM5 was announced 7 months before the K-3 II which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GM5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a quick summary of how the GM5 grades versus the K-3 II in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GM5 and Pentax K-3 II. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic GM5 Gallery and Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic GM5 comes with physical measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 36mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 211 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 II has specifications of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GM5 and Pentax K-3 II in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the GM5 and the K-3 II.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GM5 and K-3 II is 91 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements purely by going through specs. The photograph underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the GM5 and K-3 II.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The GM5 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax K-3 II will produce more detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The older GM5 will be behind in sensor technology.