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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20

Portability
90
Imaging
54
Features
62
Overall
57
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8 front
 
Pentax Optio VS20 front
Portability
90
Imaging
39
Features
35
Overall
37

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Key Specs

Panasonic GF8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 25600
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 266g - 107 x 65 x 33mm
  • Launched February 2016
  • Old Model is Panasonic GF7
Pentax VS20
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-560mm (F3.1-4.8) lens
  • 235g - 111 x 61 x 38mm
  • Revealed January 2012
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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Overview

On this page, we will be looking at the Panasonic GF8 versus Pentax VS20, former being a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the GF8 (16MP) and the VS20 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the GF8 (Four Thirds) and VS20 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

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The GF8 was introduced 4 years later than the VS20 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GF8 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax VS20 being a Compact camera.

Before getting into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the GF8 grades vs the VS20 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GF8 over the Pentax VS20

 GF8 VS20 
RevealedFebruary 2016January 2012More recent by 50 months
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution1040k460kCrisper screen (+580k dot)
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Pentax VS20 over the Panasonic GF8

 VS20 GF8 

Common features in the Panasonic GF8 and Pentax VS20

 GF8 VS20 
Manual focus Very accurate focus
Screen dimensions3"3"Equal screen sizing
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is intending to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic GF8 offers outside dimensions of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") with a weight of 266 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Pentax VS20 has measurements of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") having a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GF8 versus Pentax VS20 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the GF8 and the VS20.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 size comparison

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the GF8 and VS20 is 90 and 90 respectively.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor measurements only by seeing technical specs. The photograph underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the GF8 and VS20.

As you have seen, both of the cameras provide the same MP albeit different sensor measurements. The GF8 uses the bigger sensor which should make obtaining shallow DOF less difficult. The younger GF8 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 sensor size comparison

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Portrait photography advice
Pentax VS20 Portrait photography advice
65
manual focus
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
comes with face detection autofocus
exports RAW files
external flash not possible
36
focusing manually
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
no manual exposure
cannot use external flash
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Panasonic GF8 as a Street photography camera
Pentax VS20 as a Street photography camera
80
screen tilts up and down
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
features touch to focus
great ISO range (25,600)
lack of image stabilization
61
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than others in class (235g)
fixed screen
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Sports photography factors
Pentax VS20 Sports photography factors
49
quiet shutter (1/16,000s)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
comes with tracking autofocus
low maximum shutter speed (1/500s)
slow continuous shooting (5.8 frames/s)
lack of image stabilization
bad battery power (230 CIPA)
does not have phase detect autofocus
44
excellent zoom range (28-560mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent sensor resolution (16MP)
comes with tracking focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Travel photography advice
Pentax VS20 Travel photography advice
66
features touch to focus
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
built-in flash
lack of Timelapse recording
bad battery power (230 CIPA)
display isn't selfie friendly
68
lighter than others in class (235 grams)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (28mm)
very long zoom (560mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
doesn't feature selfie friendly screen
slow max aperture (f3.1)
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Landscape photography factors
Pentax VS20 Landscape photography factors
65
manual focus
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3 inches)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
sensor size is decent (Four Thirds)
great ISO range (25,600)
exports RAW files
lack of image stabilization
bad battery power (230 CIPA)
lack of Timelapse recording
47
focusing manually
reasonably wide (28mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inch)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
decent sensor resolution (16 megapixels)
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
no manual exposure
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic GF8 Vlogging features
Pentax VS20 Vlogging features
33
touchscreen
comes with face detection autofocus
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 pixels)
display isn't selfie friendly
lack of image stabilization
lack of external microphone support
30
reasonably wide (28mm)
image stabilization (Sensor-shift)
lighter than others in class (235g)
slow max aperture (f3.1)
doesn't feature selfie friendly screen
video resolution low (1280 x 720 resolution)
doesn't have mic port
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Panasonic GF8 vs Pentax VS20 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GF8 and Pentax VS20
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8Pentax Optio VS20
General Information
Brand Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF8 Pentax Optio VS20
Class Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Superzoom
Launched 2016-02-15 2012-01-25
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Processor Venus Engine -
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 1:1, 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 4592 x 3448 4608 x 3456
Max native ISO 25600 6400
Min native ISO 200 100
RAW files
Min boosted ISO 100 -
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
AF continuous
Single AF
Tracking AF
AF selectice
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection focusing
Contract detection focusing
Phase detection focusing
Number of focus points 23 3
Lens
Lens mounting type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens focal range - 28-560mm (20.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.1-4.8
Macro focus distance - 3cm
Available lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Tilting Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inches 3 inches
Screen resolution 1,040 thousand dot 460 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen technology - TFT color LCD with Anti-reflective coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 4 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/500 seconds 1/2500 seconds
Highest silent shutter speed 1/16000 seconds -
Continuous shooting speed 5.8fps 1.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 5.60 m (at ISO 200) 2.80 m
Flash options Auto, auto w/redeye reduction, flash on, flash on w/redeye reduction, slow sync, slow sync w/redeye reduction, flash off Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Soft
External flash
AE bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60p, 60i, 50p, 50i, 30p, 25p, 24p), 1280 x 720 (30p, 25p), 640 x 480 (30p, 25p) 1280 x 720 (30, 15 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (30, 15 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format MPEG-4, AVCHD, H.264 Motion JPEG
Mic jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 266 gr (0.59 lb) 235 gr (0.52 lb)
Physical dimensions 107 x 65 x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") 111 x 61 x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 230 photos -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model - D-LI122
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 secs, 3-shot/10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC card SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots Single Single
Launch pricing $549 $106