Panasonic GH2 vs Pentax RZ18

Let's look a bit more closely at the Panasonic GH2 vs Pentax RZ18, former being a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the GH2 (16MP) and the RZ18 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the GH2 (Four Thirds) and RZ18 (1/2.3") boast different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The GH2 was introduced 5 months prior to the RZ18 and they are both of a similar age. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Pentax RZ18 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the GH2 scores versus the RZ18 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 & Pentax Optio RZ18. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic GH2 Gallery & Pentax RZ18 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GH2 features external measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) while the Pentax RZ18 has proportions of 97mm x 61mm x 33mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic GH2 vs Pentax RZ18 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the GH2 versus the RZ18.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the GH2 and RZ18 is 70 and 92 respectively.

Usually, its hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by checking technical specs. The graphic underneath might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the GH2 and RZ18.

As you can tell, both the cameras have the same MP albeit different sensor sizing. The GH2 has got the bigger sensor which will make achieving shallower depth of field simpler.