Panasonic FZ80 vs Pentax ist DL2

Here is a extensive review of the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax ist DL2, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the FZ80 (18MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the FZ80 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) offer different sensor measurements.

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The FZ80 was unveiled 11 years later than the ist DL2 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a detailed comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the FZ80 matches up versus the ist DL2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 & Pentax ist DL2. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ80 Gallery & Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic FZ80 has physical dimensions of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") with a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DL2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FZ80 and Pentax ist DL2 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Below is a front view dimension comparison of the FZ80 against the ist DL2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the FZ80 and ist DL2 is 63 and 69 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing purely by looking through technical specs. The graphic here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ80 and ist DL2.

As you can tell, the two cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FZ80 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic FZ80 will provide you with extra detail having an extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more modern FZ80 should have a benefit in sensor innovation.