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Panasonic GH3 vs Pentax K-70

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 and the Pentax K-70 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2012 and June 2016. The GH3 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the K-70 is a DSLR. The cameras are based on a Four Thirds (GH3) and an APS-C (K-70) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 15.9 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 24 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications
Panasonic GH3
versus
Pentax K-70
Panasonic GH3   Pentax K-70
Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
Micro Four Thirds lenses Pentax K mount lenses
15.9 MP – Four Thirds sensor 24 MP – APS-C sensor
1080/60p Video 1080/60i Video
ISO 200-12,800 (125 - 25,600) ISO 100-102,400
Electronic viewfinder (1746k dots) Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 614k dots 3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel touchscreen Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6 shutter flaps per second 6 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
Weathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
540 shots per battery charge410 shots per battery charge
133 x 93 x 82 mm, 550 g 126 x 93 x 74 mm, 688 g
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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 and the Pentax K-70? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

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Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Panasonic GH3 and the Pentax K-70. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-70 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the GH3 is only available in black.

Size Panasonic GH3 vs Pentax K-70
Compare GH3 versus K-70 top
Comparison GH3 or K-70 rear

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-70 is notably smaller (5 percent) than the Panasonic GH3. However, the K-70 is markedly heavier (25 percent) than the GH3. In this context, it is worth noting that both cameras are splash and dust-proof and can, hence, be used in inclement weather conditions or harsh environments.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete since they do not consider the interchangeable lenses that both of these cameras require. Hence, you might want to study and compare the specifications of available lenses in order to get the full picture of the size and weight of the two camera systems.

Concerning battery life, the GH3 gets 540 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLF19 battery, while the K-70 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Pentax D-LI109 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

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Body Specifications
  empty Camera
Model
Camera
Width
Camera
Height
Camera
Depth
Camera
Weight
Battery
Life
Weather
Sealing
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GH3 133 mm 93 mm 82 mm 550 g 540 Y Sep 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-70 126 mm 93 mm 74 mm 688 g 410 Y Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 130 mm 94 mm 63 mm 497 g 350 Y Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 122 mm 89 mm 43 mm 425 g 360 Y Feb 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II 124 mm 85 mm 45 mm 469 g 310 Y Feb 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G5 120 mm 83 mm 71 mm 396 g 320 n Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G6 122 mm 85 mm 71 mm 390 g 340 n Apr 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G80 128 mm 89 mm 74 mm 505 g 330 Y Sep 2016 US$ 899ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH2 124 mm 90 mm 76 mm 442 g 330 n Sep 2010 US$ 899ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH4 133 mm 93 mm 84 mm 560 g 500 Y Feb 2014 US$ 1 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GM1 99 mm 55 mm 30 mm 204 g 230 n Oct 2013 US$ 749ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX8 133 mm 78 mm 63 mm 487 g 330 Y Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Pentax K-3 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 560 Y Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II 131 mm 100 mm 77 mm 800 g 720 Y Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
15.
 
Pentax K-50 130 mm 97 mm 71 mm 650 g 410 Y Jun 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax KP 132 mm 101 mm 76 mm 703 g 390 Y Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
17.
 
Pentax K-S2 123 mm 91 mm 73 mm 678 g 410 Y Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The K-70 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the GH3, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors of image quality. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic GH3 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Pentax K-70 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the K-70 is 63 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.5. The sensor in the GH3 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the K-70 offers a 3:2 aspect.

Panasonic GH3 and Pentax K-70 sensor measures

With 24MP, the K-70 offers a higher resolution than the GH3 (15.9MP), but the K-70 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 3.76μm for the GH3) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the K-70 is a much more recent model (by 3 years and 8 months) than the GH3, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-70 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-70 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-70 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic GH3 are 23 x 17.3 inches or 58.5 x 43.9 cm for good quality, 18.4 x 13.8 inches or 46.8 x 35.1 cm for very good quality, and 15.4 x 11.5 inches or 39 x 29.3 cm for excellent quality prints.

The K-70 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

Unlike the GH3, the K-70 has the capacity to capture high quality composite images by combining multiple shots after shifting its sensor by miniscule distances. This multi-shot, pixel-shift mode is most suitable for photography of stationary objects (landscapes, studio scenes).

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 200 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 125-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-70 are ISO 100 to ISO 102400 (no boost).

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

GH3 versus K-70 MP

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

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Sensor Characteristics
  empty Camera
Model
Sensor
Class
Resolution
(MP)
Horiz.
Pixels
Vert.
Pixels
Video
Format
DXO
Portrait
DXO
Landscape
DXO
Sports
DXO
Overall
1.
 
Panasonic GH3 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p22.712.481271
2.
 
Pentax K-70 APS-C 24.0 6000 40001080/60i23.813.1163980
3.
 
Olympus E-M1 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/30p23.012.775773
4.
 
Olympus E-M5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i22.812.382671
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p23.012.584273
6.
 
Panasonic G5 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.411.661861
7.
 
Panasonic G6 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60p21.311.563961
8.
 
Panasonic G80 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34484K/30p22.812.565671
9.
 
Panasonic GH2 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34561080/60i21.211.365560
10.
 
Panasonic GH4 Four Thirds 15.9 4608 34564K/30p23.212.879174
11.
 
Panasonic GM1 Four Thirds 15.8 4592 34481080/60i22.311.766066
12.
 
Panasonic GX8 Four Thirds 20.2 5184 38884K/30p23.512.680675
13.
 
Pentax K-3 APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.713.4121680
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.613.6110680
15.
 
Pentax K-50 APS-C 16.1 4928 32641080/30p23.713.0112079
16.
 
Pentax KP APS-C 24.1 6016 40001080/60i23.913.2169981
17.
 
Pentax K-S2 APS-C 20.0 5472 36481080/30p23.612.9151479
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the GH3 provides a higher frame rate than the K-70. It can shoot video footage at 1080/60p, while the Pentax is limited to 1080/60i.

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Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the GH3 has an electronic viewfinder (1746k dots), while the K-70 has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinders of both cameras offer the same field of view (100%), but the viewfinder of the GH3 has a higher magnification than the one of the K-70 (0.67x vs 0.63x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic GH3, the Pentax K-70, and comparable cameras.

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Core Features
  empty Camera
Model
Viewfinder
(Type or
000 dots)
Control
Panel
(yes/no)
LCD
Specifications
(inch/000 dots)
LCD
Attach-
ment
Touch
Screen
(yes/no)
Max
Shutter
Speed *
Max
Shutter
Flaps *
Built-in
Flash
(yes/no)
Built-in
Image
Stab
1.
 
Panasonic GH31746 n3.0 / 614 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
2.
 
Pentax K-70optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
3.
 
Olympus E-M12360 n3.0 / 1037 tilting Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
4.
 
Olympus E-M51440 n3.0 / 610 tilting Y 1/4000s 9.0/s n Y
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II2360 n3.0 / 1037 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
6.
 
Panasonic G51440 n3.0 / 920 swivel Y 1/4000s 6.0/s Y n
7.
 
Panasonic G61440 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/4000s 7.0/s Y n
8.
 
Panasonic G802360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/4000s 9.0/s Y Y
9.
 
Panasonic GH21534 n3.0 / 460 swivel n 1/4000s 3.0/s Y n
10.
 
Panasonic GH42359 n3.0 / 1036 swivel Y 1/8000s 12.0/s Y n
11.
 
Panasonic GM1none n3.0 / 1036 fixed Y 1/500s 5.0/s Y n
12.
 
Panasonic GX82360 n3.0 / 1040 swivel Y 1/8000s 10.0/s n Y
13.
 
Pentax K-3optical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s Y Y
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIoptical Y3.2 / 1037 fixed n 1/8000s 8.3/s n Y
15.
 
Pentax K-50optical n3.0 / 921 fixed n 1/6000s 6.0/s Y Y
16.
 
Pentax KPoptical n3.0 / 921 tilting n 1/6000s 7.0/s Y Y
17.
 
Pentax K-S2optical n3.0 / 921 swivel n 1/6000s 5.4/s Y Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The GH3 has a touchscreen, while the K-70 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

Both cameras have an articulated rear screen that can be turned to be front-facing. This feature will be particularly appreciated by vloggers and photographers who are interested in taking selfies.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the GH3 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

The Panasonic GH3 and the Pentax K-70 both have an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the GH3 and the K-70 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 and Pentax K-70 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

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Input-Output Connections
  empty Camera
Model
Hotshoe
Port
Internal
Mic / Speaker
Microphone
Port
Headphone
Port
HDMI
Port
USB
Port
WiFi
Support
NFC
Support
Bluetooth
Support
1.
 
Panasonic GH3Ystereo / monoYYmini2.0Y--
2.
 
Pentax K-70Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0Y--
3.
 
Olympus E-M1Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
4.
 
Olympus E-M5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 IIYstereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
6.
 
Panasonic G5Ystereo / mono--mini2.0---
7.
 
Panasonic G6Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0YY-
8.
 
Panasonic G80Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0Y--
9.
 
Panasonic GH2Ystereo / monoY-mini2.0---
10.
 
Panasonic GH4Ystereo / monoYYmicro2.0YY-
11.
 
Panasonic GM1-stereo / mono--micro2.0Y--
12.
 
Panasonic GX8Ystereo / monoY-micro2.0YY-
13.
 
Pentax K-3Ymono / monoYYmini3.0---
14.
 
Pentax K-3 IIYmono / monoYYmini3.0---
15.
 
Pentax K-50Ymono / mono--micro2.0---
16.
 
Pentax KPYstereo / monoY--2.0Y--
17.
 
Pentax K-S2Ymono / monoY-micro2.0YY-

It is notable that the GH3 has a headphone jack, which is not present on the K-70 This port makes it possible to attach external headphones and monitor the quality of sound during the recording process.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Panasonic GH3 (unlike the K-70) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Both the GH3 and the K-70 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The GH3 was replaced by the Panasonic GH4, while the K-70 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the GH3 and K-70 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic GH3 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-70 Manual.

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Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic GH3 and the Pentax K-70? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

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Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3:

  • Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
  • Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (1080/60p versus 1080/60i).
  • Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
  • More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
  • Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.67x vs 0.63x).
  • Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
  • Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
  • Less heavy: Is lighter (by 138g or 20 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
  • Longer lasting: Can take more shots (540 versus 410) on a single battery charge.
  • More legacy lens friendly: Can take a broad range of non-native lenses via adapters.
  • Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
  • More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2012).

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Reasons to prefer the Pentax K-70:

  • More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 15.9MP), which boosts linear resolution by 25%.
  • Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
  • High quality composites: Can combine several shots after pixel-shifting its sensor.
  • Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced sensor.
  • Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
  • More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
  • Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
  • Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
  • Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
  • More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 614k dots).
  • Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/6000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
  • Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
  • More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
  • More modern: Reflects 3 years and 8 months of technical progress since the GH3 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-70 emerges as the winner of the match-up (14 : 12 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

GH3 12:14 K-70

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic GH3 and the Pentax K-70 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the GH3 or the K-70. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

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Expert Camera Reviews
  empty  Camera 
 Model 
 AP 
 score 
 CL 
 score 
 DCW 
 score 
 DPR 
 score 
 EPZ 
 score 
 PB 
 score 
Camera
Launch
Launch
Price
Street
Price
1.
 
Panasonic GH35/5+ +..79/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
2.
 
Pentax K-704.5/5..4/579/1004.5/54.5/5 Jun 2016 US$ 649ebay.com
3.
 
Olympus E-M15/5+ +..84/1004.5/54.5/5 Sep 2013 US$ 1 399ebay.com
4.
 
Olympus E-M54/5+ +..80/1004.5/55/5 Feb 2012 US$ 1 299ebay.com
5.
 
Olympus E-M5 II5/5+ +4.5/581/1005/55/5 Feb 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
6.
 
Panasonic G53/5+ +....4.5/54.5/5 Jul 2012 US$ 599ebay.com
7.
 
Panasonic G64/5+ +....5/54.5/5 Apr 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
8.
 
Panasonic G80..+ +..84/1005/54.5/5 Sep 2016 US$ 899ebay.com
9.
 
Panasonic GH25/5+ +..79/1004.5/55/5 Sep 2010 US$ 899ebay.com
10.
 
Panasonic GH45/5+ +..85/1005/55/5 Feb 2014 US$ 1 499ebay.com
11.
 
Panasonic GM13/5+..78/1005/54.5/5 Oct 2013 US$ 749ebay.com
12.
 
Panasonic GX85/5+..82/1004.5/54.5/5 Jul 2015 US$ 1 199ebay.com
13.
 
Pentax K-34/5....83/1005/55/5 Oct 2013 US$ 1 299ebay.com
14.
 
Pentax K-3 II4.5/5......5/55/5 Apr 2015 US$ 1 099ebay.com
15.
 
Pentax K-505/5......5/54.5/5 Jun 2013 US$ 599ebay.com
16.
 
Pentax KP4/5..3/582/1005/54.5/5 Jan 2017 US$ 1 099ebay.com
17.
 
Pentax K-S24.5/5......5/54.5/5 Feb 2015 US$ 749ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you are interested in seeing how other cameras pair up, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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    Specifications: Panasonic GH3 vs Pentax K-70

    Below is a side-by-side comparison of the specs of the two cameras to facilitate a quick review of their differences and common features.

    Camera Specifications
    Camera Model Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    Camera Type Mirrorless system camera Digital single lens reflex
    Camera Lens Micro Four Thirds lenses Pentax K mount lenses
    Launch Date September 2012 June 2016
    Launch Price USD 1,299 USD 649
    Sensor Specs Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    Sensor Technology CMOS CMOS
    Sensor Format Four Thirds Sensor APS-C Sensor
    Sensor Size 17.3 x 13.0 mm 23.5 x 15.6 mm
    Sensor Area 224.9 mm2 366.6 mm2
    Sensor Diagonal 21.6 mm 28.2 mm
    Crop Factor 2.0x 1.5x
    Sensor Resolution 15.9 Megapixels 24 Megapixels
    Image Resolution 4608 x 3456 pixels 6000 x 4000 pixels
    Pixel Pitch 3.76 μm 3.91 μm
    Pixel Density 7.08 MP/cm2 6.55 MP/cm2
    Moiré control Anti-Alias filter no AA filter
    Movie Capability 1080/60p Video 1080/60i Video
    ISO Setting 200 - 12,800 ISO 100 - 102,400 ISO
    ISO Boost 125 - 25,600 ISO no Enhancement
    Image Processor Venus VII FHD PRIME MII
    DXO Sensor Quality (score) 71 ..
    DXO Color Depth (bits) 22.7 ..
    DXO Dynamic Range (EV) 12.4 ..
    DXO Low Light (ISO) 812 ..
    Screen Specs Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    Viewfinder Type Electronic viewfinder Optical viewfinder
    Viewfinder Field of View 100% 100%
    Viewfinder Magnification 0.67x 0.63x
    Viewfinder Resolution 1746k dots
    LCD Framing Live View Live View
    Rear LCD Size 3.0inch 3.0inch
    LCD Resolution 614k dots 921k dots
    LCD Attachment Swivel screen Swivel screen
    Touch Input Touchscreen no Touchscreen
    Shooting Specs Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    Focus System Contrast-detect AF Phase-detect AF
    Manual Focusing Aidno Peaking FeatureFocus Peaking
    Max Shutter Speed (mechanical) 1/4000s 1/6000s
    Continuous Shooting 6 shutter flaps/s 6 shutter flaps/s
    Electronic ShutterYESno E-Shutter
    Time-Lapse PhotographyIntervalometer built-inIntervalometer built-in
    Image StabilizationLens stabilization onlyIn-body stabilization
    Fill Flash Built-in Flash Built-in Flash
    Storage Medium SDXC cards SDXC cards
    Single or Dual Card Slots Single card slot Single card slot
    UHS card support UHS-I UHS-I
    Connectivity Specs Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    External Flash Hotshoe Hotshoe
    Studio Flash PC Sync socket no PC Sync
    USB Connector USB 2.0 USB 2.0
    HDMI Port mini HDMI mini HDMI
    Microphone Port External MIC port External MIC port
    Headphone Socket Headphone port no Headphone port
    Wifi Support Wifi built-in Wifi built-in
    Body Specs Panasonic GH3 Pentax K-70
    Environmental SealingWeathersealed bodyWeathersealed body
    Battery Type Panasonic DMW-BLF19 Pentax D-LI109
    Battery Life (CIPA)540 shots per charge410 shots per charge
    Body Dimensions 133 x 93 x 82 mm
    (5.2 x 3.7 x 3.2 in)
    126 x 93 x 74 mm
    (5.0 x 3.7 x 2.9 in)
    Camera Weight 550 g (19.4 oz) 688 g (24.3 oz)
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