Panasonic FX90 vs Pentax ist DS2

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic FX90 vs Pentax ist DS2, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a huge gap between the image resolutions of the FX90 (12MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the FX90 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FX90 was introduced 6 years after the ist DS2 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FX90 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick view of how the FX90 matches up vs the ist DS2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 and Pentax ist DS2. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FX90 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FX90 provides exterior measurements of 102mm x 56mm x 22mm (4.0" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 149 grams (0.33 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FX90 vs Pentax ist DS2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the FX90 against the ist DS2.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FX90 and ist DS2 is 95 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to envision the gap between sensor dimensions only by reviewing technical specs. The picture here will help offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the FX90 and ist DS2.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FX90 having a tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh harder and the Panasonic FX90 will offer you more detail using its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop shots a bit more aggressively. The newer FX90 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.