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Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20

Portability
93
Imaging
35
Features
42
Overall
37
Canon PowerShot S95 front
 
Pentax Optio VS20 front
Portability
90
Imaging
39
Features
35
Overall
37

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Key Specs

Canon S95
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/1.7" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-105mm (F2.0-4.9) lens
  • 195g - 100 x 58 x 30mm
  • Introduced November 2010
  • Superseded the Canon S90
  • Updated by Canon S100
Pentax VS20
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-560mm (F3.1-4.8) lens
  • 235g - 111 x 61 x 38mm
  • Announced January 2012
Photography Glossary

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Overview

Here is a thorough analysis of the Canon S95 versus Pentax VS20, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Canon and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the S95 (10MP) and VS20 (16MP) and the S95 (1/1.7") and VS20 (1/2.3") possess totally different sensor size.

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The S95 was revealed 14 months prior to the VS20 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the S95 matches up vs the VS20 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Canon S95 over the Pentax VS20

 S95 VS20 
Screen resolution461k460kClearer screen (+1k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax VS20 over the Canon S95

 VS20 S95 
AnnouncedJanuary 2012November 2010Fresher by 14 months

Common features in the Canon S95 and Pentax VS20

 S95 VS20 
Manual focus Dial exact focus
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Screen sizing3"3"Equivalent screen size
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Missing Touch friendly screen

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Physical Comparison

If you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Canon S95 enjoys exterior measurements of 100mm x 58mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 195 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Pentax VS20 has dimensions of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs).

Check out the Canon S95 versus Pentax VS20 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view overall size comparison of the S95 versus the VS20.

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 size comparison

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the S95 and VS20 is 93 and 90 respectively.

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 top view buttons comparison

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Sensor Comparison

Often, it is difficult to envision the difference between sensor sizing only by reading specs. The photograph here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the S95 and VS20.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The S95 with its bigger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF easier and the Pentax VS20 will offer greater detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures a little more aggressively. The older S95 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 sensor size comparison

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Canon S95 Portrait photography factors
Pentax VS20 Portrait photography factors
41
focusing manually
above average flash sync (1/500 seconds)
delivers RAW formats
no external flash support
MP count low (10MP)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
36
you can focus manually
good megapixels (16MP)
manual exposure not possible
cannot use external flash
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
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Street Comparison

Canon S95 Street photography highlights
Pentax VS20 Street photography highlights
65
image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW formats
no articulating screen
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
61
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (235g)
no articulating screen
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Canon S95 Sports photography factors
Pentax VS20 Sports photography factors
27
image stabilization (Optical)
max fps very slow (1.0 frames/s)
MP count low (10MP)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
has no phase detect auto focus
44
long zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
provides tracking autofocus
low frames per second (1.0 frames/s)
no shutter priority mode
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Canon S95 Travel photography factors
Pentax VS20 Travel photography factors
64
flash built-in
really wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f2.0)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
MP count low (10 megapixels)
screen is not selfie friendly
68
lighter than competition (235 grams)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
has built in flash
quite wide (28mm)
long zoom (560mm)
does not have Time Lapse mode
display isn't selfie friendly
sluggish max aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon S95 Landscape photography details
Pentax VS20 Landscape photography details
53
focusing manually
really wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f2.0)
screen size is good (3")
image stabilization (Optical)
delivers RAW formats
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
MP count low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor size (1/1.7")
doesn't have Timelapse recording
47
you can focus manually
quite wide (28mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
good megapixels (16 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.1)
manual exposure not possible
sensor is very small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
does not have Time Lapse mode
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Vlogging Comparison

Canon S95 Vlogging information
Pentax VS20 Vlogging information
32
really wide (28mm)
very good maximum aperture (f2.0)
image stabilization (Optical)
screen is not selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have microphone port
30
quite wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than competition (235 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f3.1)
display isn't selfie friendly
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
does not have external mic socket
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Canon S95 vs Pentax VS20 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon S95 and Pentax VS20
 Canon PowerShot S95Pentax Optio VS20
General Information
Brand Canon Pentax
Model Canon PowerShot S95 Pentax Optio VS20
Type Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Introduced 2010-11-23 2012-01-25
Physical type Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Digic 4 -
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/1.7" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 7.44 x 5.58mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 41.5mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Highest Possible resolution 3648 x 2736 4608 x 3456
Maximum native ISO 3200 6400
Min native ISO 80 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 9 3
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 28-105mm (3.8x) 28-560mm (20.0x)
Max aperture f/2.0-4.9 f/3.1-4.8
Macro focus distance 5cm 3cm
Crop factor 4.8 5.9
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display sizing 3" 3"
Display resolution 461 thousand dots 460 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch functionality
Display technology - TFT color LCD with Anti-reflective coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Min shutter speed 15 seconds 4 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/1600 seconds 1/2500 seconds
Continuous shutter rate 1.0 frames per sec 1.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 6.50 m 2.80 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Max flash synchronize 1/500 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (24 fps) 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 1280x720
Video data format H.264 Motion JPEG
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless Eye-Fi Connected Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 195g (0.43 lb) 235g (0.52 lb)
Dimensions 100 x 58 x 30mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.2") 111 x 61 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score 47 not tested
DXO Color Depth score 20.4 not tested
DXO Dynamic range score 11.3 not tested
DXO Low light score 153 not tested
Other
Battery model NB-6L D-LI122
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Card slots - One
Retail price $495 $106