Panasonic GX1 vs Pentax K-30

On this page, we are looking at the Panasonic GX1 versus Pentax K-30, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the GX1 (16MP) and the K-30 (16MP) is fairly close but the GX1 (Four Thirds) and K-30 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The GX1 was revealed 8 months earlier than the K-30 and they are both of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GX1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the GX1 scores vs the K-30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 & Pentax K-30. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic GX1 Gallery & Pentax K-30 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GX1 provides external dimensions of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") and a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-30 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

See the Panasonic GX1 versus Pentax K-30 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the GX1 and the K-30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GX1 and K-30 is 87 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizing only by researching technical specs. The visual underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GX1 and K-30.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have the same megapixel count but not the same sensor sizing. The GX1 provides the smaller sensor which should make getting shallow DOF trickier. The older GX1 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.