Panasonic SZ10 vs Pentax K-30

Its time to look a little more closely at the Panasonic SZ10 versus Pentax K-30, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ10 (16MP) and the K-30 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the SZ10 (1/2.3") and K-30 (APS-C) have different sensor size.

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The SZ10 was launched 2 years after the K-30 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ10 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-30 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the SZ10 matches up against the K-30 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ10 and Pentax K-30. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic SZ10 Gallery and Pentax K-30 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic SZ10 provides outer measurements of 99mm x 60mm x 30mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.2") with a weight of 177 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Pentax K-30 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic SZ10 versus Pentax K-30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the SZ10 against the K-30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ10 and K-30 is 93 and 63 respectively.

More often than not, it is hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes purely by checking a spec sheet. The picture here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ10 and K-30.

Clearly, both of those cameras have the same megapixels but different sensor sizes. The SZ10 includes the tinier sensor which should make getting shallow DOF tougher. The newer SZ10 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.