Panasonic LX7 vs Pentax K100D

The following is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic LX7 versus Pentax K100D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the resolutions of the LX7 (10MP) and K100D (6MP) and the LX7 (1/1.7") and K100D (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The LX7 was announced 5 years after the K100D which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic LX7 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K100D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick summation of how the LX7 matches up against the K100D in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX7 and Pentax K100D. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic LX7 Gallery and Pentax K100D Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera often, you'll need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic LX7 features outside dimensions of 111mm x 68mm x 46mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.8") accompanied by a weight of 298 grams (0.66 lbs) whilst the Pentax K100D has specifications of 129mm x 93mm x 70mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 660 grams (1.46 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic LX7 versus Pentax K100D in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the LX7 compared to the K100D.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the LX7 and K100D is 86 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to see the difference in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The picture below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the LX7 and K100D.

All in all, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The LX7 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Panasonic LX7 will produce greater detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more recent LX7 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.