Panasonic LX100 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic LX100 and Pentax K-5 IIs, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the LX100 (13MP) and the K-5 IIs (16MP) is pretty similar but the LX100 (Four Thirds) and K-5 IIs (APS-C) have different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The LX100 was brought out 16 months later than the K-5 IIs which makes them a generation apart from each other. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic LX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the LX100 matches up vs the K-5 IIs with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 and Pentax K-5 IIs. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic LX100 Gallery and Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic LX100 offers external measurements of 115mm x 66mm x 55mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.2") with a weight of 393 grams (0.87 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 IIs has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

See the Panasonic LX100 and Pentax K-5 IIs in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Here is a front view scale comparison of the LX100 against the K-5 IIs.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the LX100 and K-5 IIs is 83 and 60 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing only by reviewing technical specs. The photograph here should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the LX100 and K-5 IIs.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The LX100 because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Pentax K-5 IIs will deliver greater detail having its extra 3 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The younger LX100 provides a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.