Panasonic FS42 vs Pentax E85

Here, we are comparing the Panasonic FS42 and Pentax E85, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the FS42 (10MP) and the E85 (12MP) is fairly well matched but the FS42 (1/2.5") and E85 (1/2.3") have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FS42 was introduced 5 months before the E85 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Pentax E85 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the FS42 scores against the E85 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 & Pentax Optio E85. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FS42 Gallery & Pentax E85 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS42 comes with outer measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") along with a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Pentax E85 has measurements of 93mm x 58mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 145 grams (0.32 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FS42 and Pentax E85 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the FS42 compared to the E85.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the FS42 and E85 is 95 and 95 respectively.

Often, it is tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes just by looking at technical specs. The pic underneath may offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the FS42 and E85.

As you have seen, both of these cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FS42 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax E85 will give extra detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics a good deal more aggressively.