Panasonic FZ1000 vs Pentax W80

Let's look a little more closely at the Panasonic FZ1000 vs Pentax W80, one is a Large Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the FZ1000 (20MP) and W80 (12MP) and the FZ1000 (1") and W80 (1/2.3") possess different sensor sizes.

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The FZ1000 was announced 5 years after the W80 which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ1000 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax W80 being a Compact camera.

Before going through a more detailed comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the FZ1000 matches up versus the W80 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000 and Pentax Optio W80. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery and Pentax W80 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FZ1000 comes with exterior measurements of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") accompanied by a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs) whilst the Pentax W80 has specifications of 100mm x 56mm x 25mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 156 grams (0.34 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FZ1000 vs Pentax W80 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the FZ1000 and the W80.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FZ1000 and W80 is 55 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to picture the gap between sensor dimensions simply by checking a spec sheet. The image below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ1000 and W80.

Clearly, each of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FZ1000 using its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FZ1000 will give you greater detail with its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos far more aggressively. The newer FZ1000 should have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.