Panasonic SZ3 vs Pentax 645D

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic SZ3 and Pentax 645D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the SZ3 (16MP) and 645D (40MP) and the SZ3 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) boast totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SZ3 was revealed 2 years after the 645D which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before going into a complete comparison, here is a short summation of how the SZ3 scores versus the 645D in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3 and Pentax 645D. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic SZ3 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic SZ3 comes with exterior dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic SZ3 and Pentax 645D in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ3 versus the 645D.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the SZ3 and 645D is 96 and 50 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to envision the difference in sensor dimensions only by going through a spec sheet. The picture below will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ3 and 645D.

Clearly, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SZ3 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645D will show extra detail because of its extra 24 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop images more aggressively. The more recent SZ3 is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.