Panasonic FZ200 vs Pentax 645Z

Let's look more in depth at the Panasonic FZ200 vs Pentax 645Z, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the FZ200 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the FZ200 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) boast totally different sensor sizes.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The FZ200 was manufactured 21 months before the 645Z making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FZ200 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before delving right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the FZ200 matches up versus the 645Z with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ200 and Pentax 645Z. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic FZ200 Gallery and Pentax 645Z Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic FZ200 has got outer dimensions of 125mm x 87mm x 110mm (4.9" x 3.4" x 4.3") along with a weight of 588 grams (1.30 lbs) while the Pentax 645Z has sizing of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FZ200 vs Pentax 645Z in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at that time. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the FZ200 compared to the 645Z.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FZ200 and 645Z is 65 and 49 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor dimensions merely by looking through a spec sheet. The pic here should provide you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the FZ200 and 645Z.

As you can see, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FZ200 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field trickier and the Pentax 645Z will result in greater detail due to its extra 39 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics more aggressively. The more aged FZ200 will be behind in sensor innovation.