Panasonic GX1 vs Pentax K-3 II

Below, we will be matching up the Panasonic GX1 versus Pentax K-3 II, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the image resolutions of the GX1 (16MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the GX1 (Four Thirds) and K-3 II (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The GX1 was manufactured 4 years earlier than the K-3 II which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GX1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief overview of how the GX1 scores vs the K-3 II when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 and Pentax K-3 II. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic GX1 Gallery and Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic GX1 has external dimensions of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs) whilst 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).

Contrast the Panasonic GX1 versus Pentax K-3 II in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the GX1 compared to the K-3 II.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the GX1 and K-3 II is 87 and 59 respectively.

Often, its tough to see the contrast between sensor dimensions purely by checking technical specs. The pic here should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the GX1 and K-3 II.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The GX1 because of its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Pentax K-3 II will give extra detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will let you crop photographs much more aggressively. The more aged GX1 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.