Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Pentax *ist DS
Comparison
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Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 | Pentax *ist DS | ||||
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Megapixels
12.10
6.10
Max. image resolution
4000 x 3000
3008 x 2000
Sensor
Sensor type
CMOS
CCD
Sensor size
Four Thirds (17.3 x 13 mm)
23.5 x 15.7 mm
Sensor size comparison
Sensor size is generally a good indicator of the quality of the camera.
Sensors can vary greatly in size. As a general rule, the bigger the
sensor, the better the image quality.
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Actual sensor size
Note: Actual size is set to screen → change »
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1 | : | 1.64 |
(ratio) | ||
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 | Pentax *ist DS |
Surface area:
224.90 mm² | vs | 368.95 mm² |
Difference: 144.05 mm² (64%)
*ist DS sensor is approx. 1.64x bigger than GF3 sensor.
Note: You are comparing sensors of very different generations.
There is a gap of 7 years between Panasonic GF3 (2011) and Pentax *ist DS (2004).
Seven years is a lot of time in terms
of technology, meaning newer sensors are overall much more
efficient than the older ones.
Pixel pitch tells you the distance from the center of one pixel (photosite) to the center of the next. It tells you how close the pixels are to each other.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
Pixel or photosite area affects how much light per pixel can be gathered.
The larger it is the more light can be collected by a single pixel.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Relative pixel sizes:
vs
Pixel area difference: 41.79 µm² (225%)
A pixel on Pentax *ist DS sensor is approx. 225% bigger than a pixel on Panasonic GF3.
Pixel density tells you how many million pixels fit or would fit in one
square cm of the sensor.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
To learn about the accuracy of these numbers,
click here.
Specs
Panasonic GF3
Pentax *ist DS
Total megapixels
13.10
6.31
Effective megapixels
12.10
6.10
Optical zoom
Digital zoom
Yes
No
ISO sensitivity
Auto, 160 - 6400
200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
RAW
Manual focus
Normal focus range
Macro focus range
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
Aperture priority
Yes
Yes
Max. aperture
Metering
Centre weighted, Multi-segment, Spot
Centre weighted, Multi-segment, Spot
Exposure compensation
±3 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
±2 EV (in 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Shutter priority
Yes
Yes
Min. shutter speed
60 sec
Bulb+30 sec
Max. shutter speed
1/4000 sec
1/4000 sec
Built-in flash
External flash
Viewfinder
None
Optical (pentaprism)
White balance presets
5
6
Screen size
3"
2"
Screen resolution
460,000 dots
210,000 dots
Video capture
Max. video resolution
Storage types
SDHC, SDXC, Secure Digital
Secure Digital
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
USB 1.0
HDMI
Wireless
GPS
Battery
Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery
AA (4) batteries (NiMH recommended)
Weight
264 g
505 g
Dimensions
107.7 x 67.1 x 32.5 mm
125 x 93 x 66 mm
Year
2011
2004
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Diagonal
Diagonal is calculated by the use of Pythagorean theorem:
where w = sensor width and h = sensor height
Diagonal = √ | w² + h² |
Panasonic GF3 diagonal
w = 17.30 mm
h = 13.00 mm
h = 13.00 mm
Diagonal = √ | 17.30² + 13.00² | = 21.64 mm |
Pentax *ist DS diagonal
w = 23.50 mm
h = 15.70 mm
h = 15.70 mm
Diagonal = √ | 23.50² + 15.70² | = 28.26 mm |
Surface area
Surface area is calculated by multiplying the width and the height of a sensor.
GF3 sensor area
Width = 17.30 mm
Height = 13.00 mm
Surface area = 17.30 × 13.00 = 224.90 mm²
Height = 13.00 mm
Surface area = 17.30 × 13.00 = 224.90 mm²
*ist DS sensor area
Width = 23.50 mm
Height = 15.70 mm
Surface area = 23.50 × 15.70 = 368.95 mm²
Height = 15.70 mm
Surface area = 23.50 × 15.70 = 368.95 mm²
Pixel pitch
Pixel pitch is the distance from the center of one pixel to the center of the
next measured in micrometers (µm). It can be calculated with the following formula:
Pixel pitch = | sensor width in mm | × 1000 |
sensor resolution width in pixels |
GF3 pixel pitch
Sensor width = 17.30 mm
Sensor resolution width = 4011 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 4011 pixels
Pixel pitch = | 17.30 | × 1000 | = 4.31 µm |
4011 |
*ist DS pixel pitch
Sensor width = 23.50 mm
Sensor resolution width = 3026 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 3026 pixels
Pixel pitch = | 23.50 | × 1000 | = 7.77 µm |
3026 |
Pixel area
The area of one pixel can be calculated by simply squaring the pixel pitch:
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
Pixel area = pixel pitch²
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
Pixel area = | sensor surface area in mm² |
effective megapixels |
GF3 pixel area
Pixel pitch = 4.31 µm
Pixel area = 4.31² = 18.58 µm²
Pixel area = 4.31² = 18.58 µm²
*ist DS pixel area
Pixel pitch = 7.77 µm
Pixel area = 7.77² = 60.37 µm²
Pixel area = 7.77² = 60.37 µm²
Pixel density
Pixel density can be calculated with the following formula:
One could also use this formula:
Pixel density = ( | sensor resolution width in pixels | )² / 1000000 |
sensor width in cm |
One could also use this formula:
Pixel density = | effective megapixels × 1000000 | / 10000 |
sensor surface area in mm² |
GF3 pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 4011 pixels
Sensor width = 1.73 cm
Pixel density = (4011 / 1.73)² / 1000000 = 5.38 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 1.73 cm
Pixel density = (4011 / 1.73)² / 1000000 = 5.38 MP/cm²
*ist DS pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 3026 pixels
Sensor width = 2.35 cm
Pixel density = (3026 / 2.35)² / 1000000 = 1.66 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 2.35 cm
Pixel density = (3026 / 2.35)² / 1000000 = 1.66 MP/cm²
Sensor resolution
Sensor resolution is calculated from sensor size and effective megapixels. It's slightly higher
than maximum (not interpolated) image resolution which is usually stated on camera specifications.
Sensor resolution is used in pixel pitch, pixel area, and pixel density formula.
For sake of simplicity, we're going to calculate it in 3 stages.
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
3. To get sensor resolution we then multiply X with the corresponding ratio:
Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
(X × r) × X = effective megapixels × 1000000 → |
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Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
GF3 sensor resolution
Sensor width = 17.30 mm
Sensor height = 13.00 mm
Effective megapixels = 12.10
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 3016 × 1.33 = 4011
Resolution vertical: X = 3016
Sensor resolution = 4011 x 3016
Sensor height = 13.00 mm
Effective megapixels = 12.10
r = 17.30/13.00 = 1.33 |
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Resolution vertical: X = 3016
Sensor resolution = 4011 x 3016
*ist DS sensor resolution
Sensor width = 23.50 mm
Sensor height = 15.70 mm
Effective megapixels = 6.10
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 2017 × 1.5 = 3026
Resolution vertical: X = 2017
Sensor resolution = 3026 x 2017
Sensor height = 15.70 mm
Effective megapixels = 6.10
r = 23.50/15.70 = 1.5 |
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Resolution vertical: X = 2017
Sensor resolution = 3026 x 2017
Crop factor
Crop factor or focal length multiplier is calculated by dividing the diagonal
of 35 mm film (43.27 mm) with the diagonal of the sensor.
Crop factor = | 43.27 mm |
sensor diagonal in mm |
GF3 crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 21.64 mm
Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 2 |
21.64 |
*ist DS crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 28.26 mm
Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 1.53 |
28.26 |
35 mm equivalent aperture
Equivalent aperture (in 135 film terms) is calculated by multiplying lens aperture
with crop factor (a.k.a. focal length multiplier).
GF3 equivalent aperture
Aperture is a lens characteristic, so it's calculated only for
fixed lens cameras. If you want to know the equivalent aperture for
Panasonic GF3, take the aperture of the lens
you're using and multiply it with crop factor.
Crop factor for Panasonic GF3 is 2
Crop factor for Panasonic GF3 is 2
*ist DS equivalent aperture
Aperture is a lens characteristic, so it's calculated only for
fixed lens cameras. If you want to know the equivalent aperture for
Pentax *ist DS, take the aperture of the lens
you're using and multiply it with crop factor.
Crop factor for Pentax *ist DS is 1.53
Crop factor for Pentax *ist DS is 1.53
More comparisons of Panasonic GF3:
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- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Sony Alpha NEX-C3
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Sony Alpha NEX-3N
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Pentax *ist DS
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Fujifilm XF1
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3 vs. Nikon Coolpix P330
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