Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K20D

Here is a extended comparison of the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K20D, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Olympus and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the SZ-12 (14MP) and the K20D (15MP) is very comparable but the SZ-12 (1/2.3") and K20D (APS-C) boast totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ-12 was manufactured 3 years later than the K20D and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Olympus SZ-12 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summation of how the SZ-12 scores versus the K20D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SZ-12 & Pentax K20D. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SZ-12 Gallery & Pentax K20D Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera often, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Olympus SZ-12 has exterior dimensions of 106mm x 69mm x 40mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.6") with a weight of 226 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax K20D has sizing of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") having a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Check out the Olympus SZ-12 vs Pentax K20D in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Below is a front view size comparison of the SZ-12 against the K20D.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the SZ-12 and K20D is 89 and 59 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to see the difference in sensor sizing only by checking out a spec sheet. The graphic below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ-12 and K20D.

Clearly, both of those cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The SZ-12 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field trickier and the Pentax K20D will show extra detail due to its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics more aggressively. The newer SZ-12 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.