Panasonic S3 vs Pentax E70

Following is a detailed analysis of the Panasonic S3 vs Pentax E70, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference between the resolutions of the S3 (14MP) and E70 (10MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The S3 was announced 2 years after the E70 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a quick view of how the S3 matches up vs the E70 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 & Pentax Optio E70. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic S3 Gallery & Pentax E70 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you're going to have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic S3 provides outer dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Pentax E70 has proportions of 94mm x 61mm x 26mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.0") with a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic S3 vs Pentax E70 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you select at that time. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the S3 vs the E70.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the S3 and E70 is 96 and 94 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes only by checking specifications. The picture here will offer you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the S3 and E70.

To sum up, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but different resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic S3 to give greater detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The younger S3 provides an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.