Panasonic SZ3 vs Pentax K-5 II

Let's look more closely at the Panasonic SZ3 versus Pentax K-5 II, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the SZ3 (16MP) and the K-5 II (16MP) is fairly similar but the SZ3 (1/2.3") and K-5 II (APS-C) possess totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ3 was announced 4 months before the K-5 II and they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting through a detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the SZ3 scores against the K-5 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3 and Pentax K-5 II. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ3 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic SZ3 has physical dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 II has measurements of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic SZ3 versus Pentax K-5 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at that moment. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the SZ3 and the K-5 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the SZ3 and K-5 II is 96 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to see the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading a spec sheet. The visual below will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ3 and K-5 II.

As you can see, both of those cameras posses the exact same MP but not the same sensor measurements. The SZ3 offers the tinier sensor which will make obtaining bokeh tougher.