Panasonic S2 vs Pentax 645Z

Following is a in depth assessment of the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax 645Z, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Pro DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the S2 (14MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the S2 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The S2 was manufactured 3 years prior to the 645Z which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the S2 matches up against the 645Z when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2 & Pentax 645Z. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic S2 Gallery & Pentax 645Z Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera often, you should consider its weight and size. The Panasonic S2 has external measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") with a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs) while the Pentax 645Z has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") accompanied by a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax 645Z in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you choose at the time. Below is a front view physical size comparison of the S2 against the 645Z.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S2 and 645Z is 96 and 49 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes just by looking at specifications. The picture underneath will give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the S2 and 645Z.

To sum up, the two cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S2 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more challenging and the Pentax 645Z will give greater detail due to its extra 37 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The more aged S2 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.