Panasonic GX850 vs Pentax K-500

On this page, we will be contrasting the Panasonic GX850 and Pentax K-500, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GX850 (16MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is relatively close but the GX850 (Four Thirds) and K-500 (APS-C) have different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The GX850 was announced 3 years after the K-500 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GX850 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise view of how the GX850 grades against the K-500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 & Pentax K-500. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic GX850 Gallery & Pentax K-500 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic GX850 comes with outer measurements of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Pentax K-500 has specifications of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

See the Panasonic GX850 and Pentax K-500 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you use during that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the GX850 vs the K-500.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the GX850 and K-500 is 90 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes merely by viewing a spec sheet. The image below may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the GX850 and K-500.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide the same MP albeit different sensor sizes. The GX850 contains the smaller sensor which will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult. The more modern GX850 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.