Panasonic LX5 vs Pentax KP

Below, we are comparing the Panasonic LX5 and Pentax KP, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the LX5 (10MP) and KP (24MP) and the LX5 (1/1.63") and KP (APS-C) come with totally different sensor measurements.

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The LX5 was unveiled 6 years before the KP and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic LX5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax KP being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a detailed comparison, below is a brief view of how the LX5 grades against the KP for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5 and Pentax KP. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic LX5 Gallery and Pentax KP Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic LX5 enjoys outer measurements of 110mm x 65mm x 43mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 271 grams (0.60 lbs) and the Pentax KP has sizing of 132mm x 101mm x 76mm (5.2" x 4.0" x 3.0") having a weight of 703 grams (1.55 lbs).

See the Panasonic LX5 and Pentax KP in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the LX5 compared to the KP.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LX5 and KP is 88 and 61 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements only by going over technical specs. The visual underneath should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the LX5 and KP.

As you can tell, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The LX5 with its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Pentax KP will offer you more detail having an extra 14MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos much more aggressively. The older LX5 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.