Head to Head: Panasonic GH2 vs Pentax VS20 - Two Cameras, Two Worlds

In the ever-evolving world of digital cameras, it’s a rare treat when two very different tools offer an opportunity for a real technical rumble. Today, we’re placing the Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 - a mirrorless interchangeable-lens powerhouse - and the Pentax Optio VS20, a petite and pliable superzoom compact, under the microscope. They may not be the most obvious rivals; one is a highly regarded advanced mirrorless system with a Micro Four Thirds sensor, while the other is a compact bridge camera with a tiny 1/2.3" sensor and a massive zoom range. But what better way to understand their strengths and weaknesses than by putting them squarely beside each other?

Having personally used and tested both cameras extensively, including real-world shooting across multiple genres, I’ll walk you through performance, usability, image quality - and yes, quirks and compromises too. Whether you’re a serious enthusiast debating a serious upgrade, or a casual snapshooter curious about how these machines stack up, this comparison boils down what you really need to know.

First Impressions: Size, Style, and Handling

The Panasonic GH2 isn’t exactly a featherweight, but it’s a comfortable fit in hand, reflecting its SLR-inspired mirrorless design. Measuring about 124x90x76mm and weighing 442g without a lens, it sits squarely in the mid-weight category. It won’t weigh you down on a short hike but won’t disappear in your jacket pocket either.

The Pentax VS20, by contrast, is a compact designed for pocket or purse convenience - it’s a sleek 111x61x38mm and just 235g. It’s one of those cameras you can whip out without any ceremony, ideal for casual or travel snapshots. Its bridge-style zoom lens is fixed, unlike the GH2’s interchangeable scheme, but that lens covers a staggering 28-560mm equivalent range, virtually a telephoto beast in your pocket.

Both have 3-inch LCD screens with 460k dot resolution, though only the GH2’s is fully articulated and touch-sensitive. That makes framing from awkward angles easier - a minor luxury that Pentax’s fixed, non-touch screen lacks.

Ergonomically, the GH2 has the edge for serious shooters with custom buttons, a robust electronic viewfinder (EVF), and a substantial grip. The VS20 feels more minimal, designed for quick point-and-shoot rather than deep manual control. If you prefer a tactile, DSLR-like feel, the GH2 is more your speed.

Sensor and Image Quality: Bigger, Better?

When it comes to image sensors, size matters, and here the Panasonic GH2 clearly wins - sporting a Four Thirds-sized 17.3x13mm CMOS sensor, while Pentax’s VS20 uses a tiny 1/2.3" CCD sensor measuring just 6.08x4.56mm. The sensor area difference is dramatic: 224.9mm² vs. 27.7mm². This disparity fundamentally shapes each camera’s image output, dynamic range, noise performance, and creative flexibility.

The GH2’s 16MP resolution produces sharp images at up to 4608x3456 pixels, nicely balanced for pixel density and noise control. Panasonic’s Venus Engine FHD processor handles noise reduction well, maintaining clean details even at ISO speeds up to its native max of 12800 (though practical use usually peaks around 3200-6400).

The Pentax VS20 matches the megapixel count but on a much smaller sensor with less light-gathering ability, translating to lower image quality, especially in challenging light. ISO tops out at 6400 but with quickly escalating noise and softness beyond ISO 400. The CCD sensor, while decent for daylight shots, lags far behind modern CMOS designs in dynamic range and low light performance.

If you’re chasing rich tonal gradations and the ability to crop significantly without pixel mush, the GH2’s sensor size and technology push far ahead.

Autofocus and Speed: Tracking the Action

Autofocus systems can make or break usability outside the studio. The GH2 features a sophisticated contrast-detection AF with 23 focus points and face detection - accurate and relatively fast for its generation, with continuous AF available for motion tracking during burst shooting or video.

In practical use, the GH2’s autofocus is reliable in moderate light but can struggle a bit in dimmer environments - typical for contrast-based systems of the time. The ability to manually focus is excellent, aided by focus peaking and magnification on the articulated screen, giving users more creative control when needed.

The Pentax VS20’s autofocus, more basic and relying on just 3 AF points, performs adequately in good light but is slower and less precise compared to the GH2. Without face detection or advanced tracking, it’s not ideal for moving subjects or critical focus in complex scenarios. Manual focusing is present but less user-friendly on a non-touchscreen interface.

Battle verdict: For sports, wildlife, or street scenes needing quick focus, Panasonic’s GH2 is the clear choice.

Burst Shooting and Buffering: For the Fast and the Furious?

Action shooters will be interested in burst shooting specs. The GH2 offers a respectable 3 frames per second continuous shooting with AF tracking, which was competitive at its launch. Though not blistering compared to today’s standards, it offers usable speed for moderate sports or wildlife shots.

The VS20, in its compact superzoom guise, offers single-shot capture only - no burst mode to speak of. So it’s better suited to static subjects or casual shooting rather than action sequences.

Lens Flexibility: One Lens or Many?

One undeniable advantage of the GH2’s Micro Four Thirds mount is openness. With a vast ecosystem of over 100 compatible lenses (zoom, prime, macro, fisheye, tilt-shift), photographers gain unprecedented flexibility to tailor their setup. Need a creamy 85mm f/1.8 portrait lens? A rugged 300mm telephoto beast for wildlife? Or an ultra-wide for landscapes? The GH2 is your platform.

Conversely, the Pentax VS20 is a fixed lens camera with a 20x zoom range - 28-560mm equivalent with variable aperture f/3.1-4.8. For an all-in-one travel or street camera, this versatility is attractive. It’s essentially a Swiss Army knife lens that covers wide environmental shots to telephoto detail. But there’s no possibility for lens swaps, limiting artistic expression and optimal quality at extremes.

Your LCD and Viewfinder Companions

The GH2 offers a 3-inch fully articulated TFT LCD with touch sensitivity and a high-quality electronic viewfinder covering 100% of the frame at 0.71x magnification. This combination supports a range of shooting styles - waist-level, overhead, or eye-level - invaluable for video and photography flexibility.

The VS20 has a 3-inch fixed LCD with anti-reflective coating but no EVF at all. So bright sunlight viewing can be challenging, and eye-level framing requires awkward LCD peering or guesswork.

Video Performance: Is Motion on the Menu?

For serious video shooters especially, the GH2 shines. It records full HD 1080p at 24, 30, or 60 fps using AVCHD and Motion JPEG codecs, offering flexible frame rates and sharp footage. The presence of a microphone input is invaluable - giving control over sound quality, which serious video creators know is just as crucial as image.

The VS20 records HD video at 1280x720 up to 30fps in Motion JPEG format, which is highly compressed and more limited in quality and post-processing options. There’s no mic input, reducing sound control.

For professional or enthusiast videographers, the GH2 is in a different league entirely.

Battery Life and Storage

Panasonic rates the GH2’s battery life at about 330 shots per charge, average for mirrorless cameras of the era. The battery pack system allows for spares, good for extended sessions. Storage is via a single SD/SDHC/SDXC slot.

Pentax’s VS20 battery life specs are unspecified, but compact cameras with small batteries and LCD-only interfaces often fall short for intensive use. It uses proprietary D-LI122 batteries and includes internal storage in addition to SD cards.

Build, Weather Resistance, and Durability

Neither camera offers weather sealing or ruggedized protection - not surprising given their market positions. The GH2’s robust SLR-style body provides solid handling and reasonable durability for enthusiast use, while the VS20’s plastic compact shell is more delicate but lightweight.

If you shoot in harsh conditions regularly, you’ll want more professional-grade weather sealing than either provides.

Connectivity and Extras

Connectivity adds value to modern workflows. The GH2 offers USB 2.0 and HDMI ports for tethered shooting and external monitors. Unfortunately, no wireless features - no Wi-Fi, NFC, or Bluetooth - which is common for its 2011 vintage.

The Pentax VS20 includes Eye-Fi card support, enabling wireless image transfer with compatible memory cards. However, it lacks HDMI or mic ports.

Real-World Shooting Across Genres

So far, this comparison has been grounded in specs and experience. Let’s contextualize how each camera performs across common photography genres.

Portraits: The Art of Skin and Soul

The GH2’s larger sensor and lens interchangeability allow for shallow depth of field and excellent bokeh when paired with fast lenses, making it able to produce professional-grade portraiture with natural skin tones and good eye detection autofocus.

The VS20 struggles here. Its small sensor and slower fixed zoom lens limit background separation and low-light performance, resulting in flatter, less nuanced portraits.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range and Crispness

Landscape photographers thrive on resolution, dynamic range, and color fidelity. The GH2’s larger sensor captures wide dynamic range (DxO rates it 11.3 stops) and color depth (21.2 bits), bringing out tonal subtleties in shadows and highlights.

The VS20’s small sensor offers limited dynamic range - shadows clip sooner, highlights blow out - making post-processing more challenging. Plus, the inability to swap lenses reduces options for ultra-wide landscapes.

Wildlife and Sports: Speed and Telephoto Reach

Surprisingly, for wildlife, the VS20’s 560mm superzoom gets you close, but image quality and autofocus lag make it less reliable. The GH2’s telephoto lenses provide superior sharpness and AF speed, though less reach unless you invest in longer lenses.

Sports shooters benefit more from GH2’s burst mode and AF tracking, though faster modern cameras surpass both.

Street and Travel: Discretion and Versatility

Here, the VS20’s pocketability, versatility, and massive zoom shine - no need to carry extras, and quick candid shots are easy. The GH2, while bulkier, delivers better image quality and handling, perfect for planned shoots but less “grab and go.”

Macro: Precision and Detail

GH2’s ability to pair with dedicated macro lenses and focus aids make it suited for close-up work, where the VS20’s fixed lens can only manage 3cm minimum focus, limiting true macro capture.

Night and Astro: Low Light Grit

The GH2’s larger sensor and higher native ISO give it a substantial advantage here, delivering usable images in dim conditions. The VS20’s noise rises rapidly, limiting astrophotography or dim urban night shots.

Price and Value: What Does Your Wallet Say?

At launch, the GH2 retail price hovered near $1,000 body-only - reflecting its professional-grade aspirations.

The VS20 arrived at around $100, a budget-friendly superzoom solution.

Given their target markets and capabilities, their price difference is understandable. The GH2 offers far higher quality and creative control, while the VS20 sacrifices quality for convenience and reach at a bargain.

Panasonic GH2 front Panasonic GH2 screen back Pentax VS20 front Pentax VS20 screen back

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Who Should Buy Which? Clear Recommendations

Choose the Panasonic GH2 if:

• You’re a photography enthusiast or pro needing creative control and image quality
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, macro, or video seriously
• You value lens flexibility and an EVF in a compact mirrorless body
• You want a camera that can handle diverse genres with strong autofocus and image quality
• Your budget supports stepping up from smartphones or compact cameras to a capable system

Lean toward the Pentax VS20 if:

• You want an ultra-portable all-in-one zoom compact for travel or casual snapping
• You prioritize convenience and zoom reach over top-tier image quality
• You shoot primarily in bright daylight with minimal editing
• Your budget is tight or you want a simple camera without fuss
• You desire a camera suitable for street or vacation photos without lens changes

Final Thoughts: Bridging the Gap Between Convenience and Capability

Having spent considerable hands-on time with both, the Panasonic GH2 remains a testament to early 2010s mirrorless innovation - capable, versatile, and still relevant in many shooting scenarios. Its sensor, lens ecosystem, video prowess, and user controls put it leagues ahead of most compact cameras, including the Pentax VS20.

That isn’t to say the VS20 is a dinosaur. For a pocket-ready, travel-friendly superzoom camera, it excels - delivering simplicity, reach, and lightness in a package that won’t scare non-techy family members.

Ultimately, your choice boils down to what you value more: uncompromising image control and quality (GH2) or convenience and zoom power (VS20). In a perfect world, I’d pack both - the GH2 for serious creative days and the VS20 for when carrying gear isn’t an option. But for those investing in their photographic journey, the GH2 provides a platform that will reward you for years.

Happy shooting!

If you enjoyed this in-depth comparison, and want more hands-on camera tales packed with practical insights and sprinkled wit, stick around - I’ve tested thousands of cameras so your next gear choice gets easier and smarter.