Panasonic LF1 vs Pentax K-30

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic LF1 vs Pentax K-30, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the LF1 (12MP) and K-30 (16MP) and the LF1 (1/1.7") and K-30 (APS-C) come with different sensor sizes.

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The LF1 was released 14 months later than the K-30 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic LF1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a full comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the LF1 scores vs the K-30 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1 and Pentax K-30. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic LF1 Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera, you're going to have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic LF1 features physical dimensions of 103mm x 62mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 192 grams (0.42 lbs) and the Pentax K-30 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic LF1 vs Pentax K-30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the LF1 versus the K-30.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the LF1 and K-30 is 92 and 63 respectively.

Often, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor sizing purely by looking through specs. The photograph here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the LF1 and K-30.

All in all, the 2 cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The LF1 due to its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-30 will provide you with greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The younger LF1 provides a benefit in sensor tech.