Panasonic SZ5 vs Pentax K-3

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic SZ5 versus Pentax K-3, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the SZ5 (14MP) and K-3 (24MP) and the SZ5 (1/2.3") and K-3 (APS-C) use totally different sensor size.

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The SZ5 was announced 21 months prior to the K-3 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic SZ5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a quick overview of how the SZ5 scores vs the K-3 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5 & Pentax K-3. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic SZ5 Gallery & Pentax K-3 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic SZ5 has exterior dimensions of 104mm x 58mm x 21mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 136 grams (0.30 lbs) and the Pentax K-3 has proportions of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic SZ5 versus Pentax K-3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the SZ5 against the K-3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ5 and K-3 is 95 and 59 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to envision the difference in sensor sizes purely by checking out specs. The image below may provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ5 and K-3.

All in all, both of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SZ5 with its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Pentax K-3 will produce more detail with its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged SZ5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.