Panasonic L1 vs Pentax K-1 II

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and the Pentax K-1 II are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2006 and February 2018. Both are DSLR (Digital Single Lens Reflex) cameras that are based on a Four Thirds (L1) and a full frame (K-1 II) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 7.4 megapixels, whereas the Pentax provides 36.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic L1		Pentax K-1 II
Digital single lens reflex		Digital single lens reflex
Four Thirds lenses		Pentax K mount lenses
7.4 MP – Four Thirds sensor		36.2 MP – Full Frame sensor
no Video		1080/60i Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 100-819,200
Optical viewfinder		Optical viewfinder
2.5" LCD – 207k dots		3.2" LCD – 1037k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fully flexible screen (no touchscreen)
3 shutter flaps per second		4.4 shutter flaps per second
Lens stabilization only		In-body stabilization
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
750 shots per battery charge		670 shots per battery charge
146 x 87 x 64 mm, 606 g		137 x 110 x 86 mm, 1010 g

Check L1 offers at
ebay.com
Check K-1 II price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and the Pentax K-1 II? 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.

Body comparison

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic L1 and the Pentax K-1 II is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The K-1 II can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the L1 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Pentax K-1 II is notably larger (19 percent) than the Panasonic L1. Moreover, the K-1 II is substantially heavier (67 percent) than the L1. It is noteworthy in this context that the K-1 II is splash and dust-proof, while the L1 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

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.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. 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.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic L1	146 mm	87 mm	64 mm	606 g	750	n	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1 II	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	670	Y	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon XT	127 mm	94 mm	64 mm	540 g	400	n	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon Rebel	142 mm	99 mm	72 mm	649 g	400	n	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
5.		Leica Digilux 3	146 mm	87 mm	77 mm	606 g	750	n	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Leica V-LUX 1	141 mm	86 mm	142 mm	734 g	360	n	Sep 2006	849	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	132 mm	103 mm	77 mm	668 g	600	n	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D70s	140 mm	111 mm	78 mm	679 g	500	n	Apr 2005	899	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-330	140 mm	87 mm	72 mm	637 g	750	n	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-500	130 mm	95 mm	66 mm	479 g	750	n	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-300	147 mm	85 mm	64 mm	624 g	750	n	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic S1R	149 mm	110 mm	97 mm	1016 g	380	Y	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic L10	135 mm	96 mm	78 mm	556 g	450	n	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-1	137 mm	110 mm	86 mm	1010 g	760	Y	Feb 2016	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	127 mm	96 mm	74 mm	650 g	650	Y	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	143 mm	104 mm	76 mm	849 g	490	Y	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	156 mm	117 mm	82 mm	895 g	880	Y	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

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 L1 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 50 percent) than the K-1 II, which puts it into a different market segment. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better 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 L1 features a Four Thirds sensor and the Pentax K-1 II a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the K-1 II is 283 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.0 and 1.0. The sensor in the L1 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the K-1 II offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 36.2MP, the K-1 II offers a higher resolution than the L1 (7.4MP), but the K-1 II has smaller individual pixels (pixel pitch of 4.88μm versus 5.51μm for the L1). Yet, the K-1 II is a much more recent model (by 11 years and 11 months) than the L1, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the K-1 II has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Pentax K-1 II implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the K-1 II for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 36.8 x 24.6 inches or 93.5 x 62.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 29.4 x 19.6 inches or 74.8 x 49.9 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 24.5 x 16.4 inches or 62.3 x 41.6 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic L1 are 15.7 x 11.8 inches or 39.8 x 29.9 cm for good quality, 12.5 x 9.4 inches or 31.9 x 23.9 cm for very good quality, and 10.5 x 7.8 inches or 26.6 x 19.9 cm for excellent quality prints.

Unlike the L1, the K-1 II 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-L1 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Pentax K-1 II are ISO 100 to ISO 819200 (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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

#		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic L1	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	80	52
2.		Pentax K-1 II	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.1	14.0	2698	93
3.		Canon XT	APS-C	8.0	3456	2304	none	21.8	10.8	637	60
4.		Canon Rebel	APS-C	6.3	3072	2048	none	21.0	10.8	544	55
5.		Leica Digilux 3	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	21.0	10.6	127	53
6.		Leica V-LUX 1	1/1.8	10.0	3648	2736	480/30p	18.4	9.5	-727	29
7.		Nikon D80	APS-C	10.0	3872	2592	none	22.1	11.2	524	61
8.		Nikon D70s	APS-C	6.0	3008	2000	none	20.4	10.3	529	50
9.		Olympus E-330	Four Thirds	7.4	3136	2352	none	20.8	10.4	73	52
10.		Olympus E-500	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.7	10.3	45	51
11.		Olympus E-300	Four Thirds	8.0	3264	2448	none	20.4	10.1	-40	48
12.		Panasonic S1R	Full Frame	46.7	8368	5584	4K/60p	26.4	14.1	3525	100
13.		Panasonic L10	Four Thirds	10.0	3648	2736	none	21.3	10.8	429	55
14.		Pentax K-1	Full Frame	36.2	7360	4912	1080/60i	25.4	14.6	3280	96
15.		Sony A7R III	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	26.0	14.7	3523	100
16.		Sony A99 II	Full Frame	42.2	7952	5304	4K/30p	25.4	13.4	2317	92
17.		Sony A850	Full Frame	24.4	6048	4032	none	23.8	12.2	1415	79
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. The K-1 II indeed provides for movie recording, while the L1 does not. The highest resolution format that the K-1 II can use is 1080/60i.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The L1 and the K-1 II are similar in the sense that both have an optical viewfinder. The latter is useful for getting a clear image for framing even in brightly lit environments. The viewfinder in the K-1 II offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the L1 (95%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. In addition, the viewfinder of the K-1 II has a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.47x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic L1 and Pentax K-1 II in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar cameras.

Core Features

#		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 L1	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
2.		Pentax K-1 II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
3.		Canon XT	optical	n	1.8 / 115	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
4.		Canon Rebel	optical	n	1.8 / 118	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
5.		Leica Digilux 3	optical	n	2.5 / 207	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
6.		Leica V-LUX 1	235	n	2.0 / 207	tilting	n	1/2000s	2.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Nikon D80	optical	n	2.5 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
8.		Nikon D70s	optical	n	2.0 / 130	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	Y	n
9.		Olympus E-330	optical	n	2.5 / 215	tilting	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
10.		Olympus E-500	optical	n	2.5 / 215	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
11.		Olympus E-300	optical	n	1.8 / 134	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic S1R	5760	Y	3.2 / 2100	full-flex	Y	1/8000s	9.0/s	n	Y
13.		Panasonic L10	optical	n	2.5 / 207	swivel	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
14.		Pentax K-1	optical	Y	3.2 / 1037	full-flex	n	1/8000s	4.4/s	n	Y
15.		Sony A7R III	3686	n	3.0 / 1440	tilting	Y	1/8000s	10.0/s	n	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	2400	Y	3.0 / 1229	full-flex	n	1/8000s	12.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony A850	optical	Y	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/8000s	3.0/s	n	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The L1 has one, while the K-1 II does not. While the built-in flash of the L1 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

The Pentax K-1 II has 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.

The L1 writes its imaging data to SDHC cards, while the K-1 II uses SDXC cards. The K-1 II features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the L1 only has one slot. The K-1 II supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the L1 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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-L1 and Pentax K-1 II and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

#		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Panasonic L1	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Pentax K-1 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon XT	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon Rebel	Y	- / -	-	-	-	1.1	-	-	-
5.		Leica Digilux 3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Leica V-LUX 1	Y	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Nikon D80	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Nikon D70s	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Olympus E-330	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Olympus E-500	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus E-300	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic S1R	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	full	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic L10	Y	- / -	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Pentax K-1	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony A7R III	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.1	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony A99 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
17.		Sony A850	Y	- / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the K-1 II offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the L1 does not provide wifi capability.

Studio photographers will appreciate that the Pentax K-1 II (unlike the L1) features a PC Sync socket, so that professional strobe lights can be controlled by the camera.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the K-1 II has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The K-1 II is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Pentax. In contrast, the L1 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the L1 was succeeded by the Panasonic L10. Further information on the features and operation of the L1 and K-1 II can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic L1 Manual (free pdf) or the online Pentax K-1 II Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic L1 better than the Pentax K-1 II or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• More compact: Is smaller (146x87mm vs 137x110mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 404g or 40 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (750 versus 670) on a single battery charge.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (50 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in February 2006).

Reasons to prefer the Pentax K-1 II:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (36.2 vs 7.4MP), which boosts linear resolution by 126%.
• 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.
• Broader imaging potential: Can capture not only stills but also 1080/60i video.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 95%).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.47x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Larger screen: Has a bigger rear LCD (3.2" vs 2.5") for image review and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1037k vs 207k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a full-flex screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/8000s vs 1/4000s) to freeze action.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (4.4 vs 3 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Better studio light control: Has a PC Sync socket to connect to professional strobe lights.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 11 months of technical progress since the L1 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the K-1 II is the clear winner of the contest (25 : 7 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.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Panasonic L1 and the Pentax K-1 II place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best DSLR Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the L1 and the K-1 II in practical situations. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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.

Expert Camera Reviews

#		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic L1	..	85/100	..	+	..	3.5/5	Feb 2006	999	ebay.com
2.		Pentax K-1 II	..	..	4.5/5	79/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	1,999	amazon.com
3.		Canon XT	..	80/100	..	+ +	o	..	Feb 2005	899	ebay.com
4.		Canon Rebel	..	..	..	+ +	..	..	Aug 2003	899	ebay.com
5.		Leica Digilux 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	1,499	ebay.com
6.		Leica V-LUX 1	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2006	849	ebay.com
7.		Nikon D80	..	+	..	+ +	o	4.5/5	Aug 2006	999	ebay.com
8.		Nikon D70s	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Apr 2005	899	ebay.com
9.		Olympus E-330	..	..	..	+	o	..	Jan 2006	999	ebay.com
10.		Olympus E-500	..	76/100	..	+ +	..	..	Sep 2005	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus E-300	..	..	..	+	o	4.5/5	Sep 2004	799	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic S1R	4.5/5	..	4.6/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	3,699	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic L10	..	85/100	..	+	3.5/5	4/5	Aug 2007	599	ebay.com
14.		Pentax K-1	5/5	..	..	84/100	5/5	5/5	Feb 2016	1,799	ebay.com
15.		Sony A7R III	..	+ +	4/5	90/100	4.5/5	5/5	Oct 2017	3,199	ebay.com
16.		Sony A99 II	..	..	4.5/5	85/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	3,199	ebay.com
17.		Sony A850	3/5	..	..	75/100	..	4.5/5	Aug 2009	1,999	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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amazon.com

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 your choice using the following search menu. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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