Panasonic S2 vs Pentax 645D

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax 645D, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Pro DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the S2 (14MP) and 645D (40MP) and the S2 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The S2 was launched 23 months after the 645D which makes them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before getting into a thorough comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the S2 matches up versus the 645D when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2 and Pentax 645D. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic S2 Gallery and Pentax 645D Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S2 has got outer dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs) and the Pentax 645D has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") and a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax 645D in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the S2 against the 645D.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the S2 and 645D is 96 and 50 respectively.

In many cases, it is very hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions only by seeing a spec sheet. The pic below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the S2 and 645D.

As you can see, both cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The S2 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Pentax 645D will provide greater detail utilizing its extra 26MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more recent S2 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.