Panasonic LZ30 vs Pentax K200D

The following is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic LZ30 vs Pentax K200D, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the LZ30 (16MP) and K200D (10MP) and the LZ30 (1/2.3") and K200D (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizing.

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The LZ30 was unveiled 4 years after the K200D which is a fairly large gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Pentax K200D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the LZ30 grades versus the K200D when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30 and Pentax K200D. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic LZ30 Gallery and Pentax K200D Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic LZ30 offers outside measurements of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") and a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs) and the Pentax K200D has dimensions of 134mm x 95mm x 74mm (5.3" x 3.7" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 690 grams (1.52 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic LZ30 vs Pentax K200D in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the LZ30 versus the K200D.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LZ30 and K200D is 66 and 61 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions purely by going through technical specs. The pic below will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the LZ30 and K200D.

As you can tell, both the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The LZ30 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic LZ30 will produce greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The younger LZ30 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.