Panasonic S2 vs Pentax K-S2

Following is a extended review of the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax K-S2, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the S2 (14MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the S2 (1/2.3") and K-S2 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S2 was brought out 4 years prior to the K-S2 which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic S2 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a in depth comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the S2 grades versus the K-S2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S2 and Pentax K-S2. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic S2 Gallery and Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic S2 has exterior dimensions of 98mm x 57mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.8") and a weight of 112 grams (0.25 lbs) while the Pentax K-S2 has dimensions of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") having a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic S2 versus Pentax K-S2 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the S2 against the K-S2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the S2 and K-S2 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Usually, it's tough to see the contrast in sensor sizes simply by researching specs. The picture here will give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the S2 and K-S2.

As you can plainly see, both of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S2 due to its smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax K-S2 will result in greater detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more aged S2 will be behind in sensor tech.