Panasonic F5 vs Pentax RZ18

Below is a comprehensive assessment of the Panasonic F5 vs Pentax RZ18, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the F5 (14MP) and the RZ18 (16MP) is pretty close and they come with the exact same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The F5 was manufactured 17 months later than the RZ18 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Both of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the F5 grades versus the RZ18 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 and Pentax Optio RZ18. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic F5 Gallery and Pentax RZ18 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic F5 features exterior measurements of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Pentax RZ18 has measurements of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic F5 vs Pentax RZ18 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the F5 against the RZ18.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the F5 and RZ18 is 96 and 92 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to picture the difference in sensor measurements only by looking through specs. The visual below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the F5 and RZ18.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements albeit different MP. You should expect the Pentax RZ18 to result in extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The fresher F5 provides an edge in sensor tech.