Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50
96 Imaging
37 Features
24 Overall
31
63 Imaging
58 Features
65 Overall
60
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Display
- ISO 100 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 28-112mm (F3.1-5.6) lens
- 117g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
- Released January 2011
(Full Review)
- 16MP - APS-C Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 51600
- Sensor based Image Stabilization
- 1/6000s Max Shutter
- 1920 x 1080 video
- Pentax KAF2 Mount
- 650g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
- Announced November 2013
- Old Model is Pentax K-30
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Overview
Lets look a bit more closely at the Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the S3 (14MP) and the K-50 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the S3 (1/2.3") and K-50 (APS-C) provide different sensor size.
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a LandslideThe S3 was brought out 3 years before the K-50 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-50 being a Compact SLR camera.
Before diving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the S3 scores vs the K-50 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Gallery
This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 and Pentax K-50. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic S3 Gallery and Pentax K-50 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Panasonic S3 over the Pentax K-50
S3 | K-50 |
---|
Reasons to pick Pentax K-50 over the Panasonic S3
K-50 | S3 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Announced | November 2013 | January 2011 | More modern by 35 months | |
Manually focus | Very precise focusing | |||
Screen dimensions | 3" | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") | |
Screen resolution | 921k | 230k | Sharper screen (+691k dot) |
Common features in the Panasonic S3 and Pentax K-50
S3 | K-50 | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
Selfie screen | Lacking selfie screen | |||
Touch friendly screen | Neither has Touch friendly screen |
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Physical Comparison
For those who are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S3 has exterior measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Pentax K-50 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).
Contrast the Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the S3 vs the K-50.
Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the S3 and K-50 is 96 and 63 respectively.
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Sensor Comparison
Often, its hard to imagine the contrast between sensor sizes purely by checking specs. The picture here will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the S3 and K-50.
As you can plainly see, both the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S3 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF harder and the Pentax K-50 will give you more detail having its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more aged S3 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Screen and ViewFinder
Photography Type Scores
Portrait Comparison
Street Comparison
Sports Comparison
Travel Comparison
Landscape Comparison
Vlogging Comparison
Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-50 Specifications
Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 | Pentax K-50 | |
---|---|---|
General Information | ||
Manufacturer | Panasonic | Pentax |
Model | Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 | Pentax K-50 |
Class | Small Sensor Compact | Entry-Level DSLR |
Released | 2011-01-05 | 2013-11-27 |
Body design | Compact | Compact SLR |
Sensor Information | ||
Processor | Venus Engine IV | PRIME M |
Sensor type | CCD | CMOS |
Sensor size | 1/2.3" | APS-C |
Sensor dimensions | 6.08 x 4.56mm | 23.7 x 15.7mm |
Sensor surface area | 27.7mm² | 372.1mm² |
Sensor resolution | 14MP | 16MP |
Anti aliasing filter | ||
Aspect ratio | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 | 3:2 |
Maximum resolution | 4320 x 3240 | 4928 x 3264 |
Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 51600 |
Lowest native ISO | 100 | 100 |
RAW files | ||
Autofocusing | ||
Focus manually | ||
AF touch | ||
AF continuous | ||
Single AF | ||
Tracking AF | ||
AF selectice | ||
Center weighted AF | ||
Multi area AF | ||
Live view AF | ||
Face detect focusing | ||
Contract detect focusing | ||
Phase detect focusing | ||
Number of focus points | 11 | 11 |
Cross focus points | - | 9 |
Lens | ||
Lens mounting type | fixed lens | Pentax KAF2 |
Lens focal range | 28-112mm (4.0x) | - |
Maximal aperture | f/3.1-5.6 | - |
Macro focus distance | 5cm | - |
Available lenses | - | 151 |
Crop factor | 5.9 | 1.5 |
Screen | ||
Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
Display size | 2.7" | 3" |
Display resolution | 230 thousand dot | 921 thousand dot |
Selfie friendly | ||
Liveview | ||
Touch friendly | ||
Display technology | TFT LCD | TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating |
Viewfinder Information | ||
Viewfinder type | None | Optical (pentaprism) |
Viewfinder coverage | - | 100% |
Viewfinder magnification | - | 0.61x |
Features | ||
Lowest shutter speed | 8s | 30s |
Highest shutter speed | 1/1600s | 1/6000s |
Continuous shooting speed | 2.0 frames per sec | 6.0 frames per sec |
Shutter priority | ||
Aperture priority | ||
Manually set exposure | ||
Exposure compensation | - | Yes |
Change WB | ||
Image stabilization | ||
Inbuilt flash | ||
Flash range | 3.30 m | 12.00 m (at ISO 100) |
Flash settings | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless |
Hot shoe | ||
Auto exposure bracketing | ||
WB bracketing | ||
Highest flash sync | - | 1/180s |
Exposure | ||
Multisegment | ||
Average | ||
Spot | ||
Partial | ||
AF area | ||
Center weighted | ||
Video features | ||
Video resolutions | 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps) |
Maximum video resolution | 1280x720 | 1920x1080 |
Video format | MPEG-4 | MPEG-4, H.264 |
Mic jack | ||
Headphone jack | ||
Connectivity | ||
Wireless | None | None |
Bluetooth | ||
NFC | ||
HDMI | ||
USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
GPS | None | Optional |
Physical | ||
Environment seal | ||
Water proof | ||
Dust proof | ||
Shock proof | ||
Crush proof | ||
Freeze proof | ||
Weight | 117 gr (0.26 lbs) | 650 gr (1.43 lbs) |
Physical dimensions | 99 x 59 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") | 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") |
DXO scores | ||
DXO All around score | not tested | 79 |
DXO Color Depth score | not tested | 23.7 |
DXO Dynamic range score | not tested | 13.0 |
DXO Low light score | not tested | 1120 |
Other | ||
Battery life | 250 images | 410 images |
Type of battery | Battery Pack | Battery Pack |
Battery model | - | D-LI109 |
Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) | Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds) |
Time lapse recording | ||
Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal | SD/SDHC/SDXC |
Storage slots | 1 | 1 |
Price at launch | $110 | $610 |