Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K-S2

Below is a complete analysis of the Panasonic S3 and Pentax K-S2, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the sensor resolutions of the S3 (14MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the S3 (1/2.3") and K-S2 (APS-C) posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The S3 was revealed 5 years prior to the K-S2 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a full comparison, here is a quick view of how the S3 grades versus the K-S2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 & Pentax K-S2. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic S3 Gallery & Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you will have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic S3 offers physical measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-S2 has dimensions of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") and a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Check the Panasonic S3 and Pentax K-S2 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the S3 vs the K-S2.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the S3 and K-S2 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Generally, its tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements purely by viewing specifications. The visual underneath will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the S3 and K-S2.

Plainly, each of these cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The S3 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Pentax K-S2 will provide you with extra detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older S3 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.