Panasonic LX3 vs Pentax K-50

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic LX3 versus Pentax K-50, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the LX3 (10MP) and K-50 (16MP) and the LX3 (1/1.63") and K-50 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizes.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The LX3 was unveiled 6 years before the K-50 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic LX3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a thorough comparison, here is a quick view of how the LX3 grades versus the K-50 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3 & Pentax K-50. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic LX3 Gallery & Pentax K-50 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic LX3 enjoys outer dimensions of 109mm x 60mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 265 grams (0.58 lbs) and the Pentax K-50 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic LX3 versus Pentax K-50 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the LX3 against the K-50.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LX3 and K-50 is 91 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to visualise the difference in sensor sizes just by seeing specifications. The image below may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the LX3 and K-50.

To sum up, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The LX3 with its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Pentax K-50 will produce extra detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged LX3 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.