Panasonic S3 vs Pentax K200D

In this write-up, we are matching up the Panasonic S3 and Pentax K200D, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the image resolutions of the S3 (14MP) and K200D (10MP) and the S3 (1/2.3") and K200D (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

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The S3 was revealed 2 years later than the K200D and that is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K200D being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the S3 scores versus the K200D in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 & Pentax K200D. The full galleries are available at Panasonic S3 Gallery & Pentax K200D Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S3 provides outside measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) while the Pentax K200D has measurements of 134mm x 95mm x 74mm (5.3" x 3.7" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 690 grams (1.52 lbs).

Check the Panasonic S3 and Pentax K200D in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are working with during that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the S3 compared to the K200D.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the S3 and K200D is 96 and 61 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to envision the contrast between sensor measurements simply by checking a spec sheet. The photograph below might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the S3 and K200D.

As you can see, each of the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The S3 using its tinier sensor will make getting bokeh harder and the Panasonic S3 will give you more detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics far more aggressively. The more modern S3 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.