Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax VS20

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax VS20, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the GF1 (12MP) and VS20 (16MP) and the GF1 (Four Thirds) and VS20 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The GF1 was released 3 years earlier than the VS20 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax VS20 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a full comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the GF1 matches up against the VS20 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF1 and Pentax Optio VS20. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic GF1 Gallery and Pentax VS20 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera, you will need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic GF1 comes with outside measurements of 119mm x 71mm x 36mm (4.7" x 2.8" x 1.4") along with a weight of 385 grams (0.85 lbs) whilst the Pentax VS20 has specifications of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") having a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs).

See the Panasonic GF1 vs Pentax VS20 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have chosen at that time. Following is the front view over all size comparison of the GF1 versus the VS20.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the GF1 and VS20 is 85 and 90 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to see the gap in sensor dimensions only by looking through technical specs. The picture here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the GF1 and VS20.

As you have seen, both of those cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The GF1 due to its larger sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field simpler and the Pentax VS20 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more aged GF1 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.