Panasonic LS5 vs Pentax K-3

In this write-up, we are looking at the Panasonic LS5 vs Pentax K-3, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference between the resolutions of the LS5 (14MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the LS5 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The LS5 was introduced 3 years before the K-3 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic LS5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the LS5 grades against the K-3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LS5 & Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic LS5 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you should think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic LS5 offers outer measurements of 97mm x 62mm x 27mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 has measurements of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic LS5 vs Pentax K-3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the LS5 and the K-3.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the LS5 and K-3 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizes merely by reviewing technical specs. The pic here should give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the LS5 and K-3.

As you can tell, both cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The LS5 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Pentax K-3 will deliver more detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged LS5 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.