Panasonic FZ80 vs Pentax RS1500

Its time to look more in depth at the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax RS1500, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference among the image resolutions of the FZ80 (18MP) and RS1500 (14MP) but both cameras boast the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FZ80 was revealed 5 years later than the RS1500 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax RS1500 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a brief summary of how the FZ80 grades against the RS1500 for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Pentax Optio RS1500. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FZ80 Gallery and Pentax RS1500 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FZ80 has external measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") having a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) while the Pentax RS1500 has dimensions of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax RS1500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the FZ80 versus the RS1500.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the FZ80 and RS1500 is 63 and 93 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements only by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph here might provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the FZ80 and RS1500.

Clearly, the two cameras come with the identical sensor size but different MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic FZ80 to provide extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The fresher FZ80 provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.