Panasonic FH20 vs Pentax K20D

Following is a extended assessment of the Panasonic FH20 and Pentax K20D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the FH20 (14MP) and the K20D (15MP) is pretty well matched but the FH20 (1/2.3") and K20D (APS-C) possess totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FH20 was manufactured 19 months after the K20D which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go in to a detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the FH20 grades vs the K20D in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Pentax K20D. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera often, you have to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FH20 has external dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Pentax K20D has proportions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FH20 and Pentax K20D in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you use at the time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the FH20 vs the K20D.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH20 and K20D is 93 and 59 respectively.

Quite often, it can be tough to see the difference between sensor sizes just by checking technical specs. The pic below should give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH20 and K20D.

As you can tell, both of those cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FH20 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax K20D will give you extra detail due to its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots somewhat more aggressively. The more modern FH20 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.