Panasonic ZS80 vs Pentax WG-1

Below is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic ZS80 vs Pentax WG-1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Waterproof by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the ZS80 (20MP) and WG-1 (14MP) but they come with the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The ZS80 was announced 7 years later than the WG-1 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the ZS80 grades against the WG-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and Pentax Optio WG-1. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery and Pentax WG-1 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS80 offers physical dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Pentax WG-1 has specifications of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS80 vs Pentax WG-1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view size comparison of the ZS80 compared to the WG-1.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS80 and WG-1 is 86 and 93 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements just by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below will help provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS80 and WG-1.

Clearly, both of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic ZS80 to give you greater detail with its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The younger ZS80 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.