Panasonic LZ20 vs Pentax WS80

Its time to look more in depth at the Panasonic LZ20 and Pentax WS80, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Waterproof by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the LZ20 (16MP) and WS80 (10MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The LZ20 was brought out 2 years later than the WS80 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic LZ20 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax WS80 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple summation of how the LZ20 matches up vs the WS80 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20 and Pentax Optio WS80. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic LZ20 Gallery and Pentax WS80 Gallery.

If you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic LZ20 has outside measurements of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs) while the Pentax WS80 has sizing of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic LZ20 and Pentax WS80 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the LZ20 against the WS80.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the LZ20 and WS80 is 71 and 95 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to envision the gap in sensor sizing simply by checking out specs. The photograph below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the LZ20 and WS80.

As you can plainly see, both of those cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should count on the Panasonic LZ20 to produce greater detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures way more aggressively. The newer LZ20 is going to have a benefit in sensor tech.