Panasonic LZ20 vs Pentax MX-1

The following is a extended comparison of the Panasonic LZ20 versus Pentax MX-1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the LZ20 (16MP) and MX-1 (12MP) and the LZ20 (1/2.3") and MX-1 (1/1.7") possess totally different sensor size.

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The LZ20 was brought out 11 months earlier than the MX-1 and they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic LZ20 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax MX-1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a concise view of how the LZ20 grades versus the MX-1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20 and Pentax MX-1. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic LZ20 Gallery and Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic LZ20 features external measurements of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Pentax MX-1 has sizing of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") with a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic LZ20 versus Pentax MX-1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you choose at that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the LZ20 vs the MX-1.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the LZ20 and MX-1 is 71 and 84 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's tough to envision the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching technical specs. The image below will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the LZ20 and MX-1.

As you can tell, each of these cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The LZ20 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic LZ20 will result in more detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The more aged LZ20 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.