Panasonic GX85 vs Pentax K-5

Following is a extended review of the Panasonic GX85 vs Pentax K-5, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GX85 (16MP) and the K-5 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the GX85 (Four Thirds) and K-5 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizing.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The GX85 was announced 5 years after the K-5 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GX85 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the GX85 grades vs the K-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX85 & Pentax K-5. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic GX85 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic GX85 offers exterior dimensions of 122mm x 71mm x 44mm (4.8" x 2.8" x 1.7") and a weight of 426 grams (0.94 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic GX85 vs Pentax K-5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilising at that moment. The following is a front view scale comparison of the GX85 against the K-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the GX85 and K-5 is 83 and 60 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizes just by checking technical specs. The image here should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the GX85 and K-5.

As you can tell, both of these cameras feature the identical megapixels albeit not the same sensor sizes. The GX85 includes the tinier sensor which will make obtaining shallower DOF more challenging. The younger GX85 will have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.