Panasonic SZ3 vs Pentax ist DS2

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic SZ3 and Pentax ist DS2, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the SZ3 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the SZ3 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ3 was manufactured 7 years after the ist DS2 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the SZ3 matches up against the ist DS2 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3 and Pentax ist DS2. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic SZ3 Gallery and Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic SZ3 has got exterior measurements of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") along with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic SZ3 and Pentax ist DS2 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the SZ3 versus the ist DS2.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ3 and ist DS2 is 96 and 68 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to envision the difference between sensor dimensions purely by reviewing specs. The picture below might provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ3 and ist DS2.

As you can plainly see, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ3 because of its tinier sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic SZ3 will offer you greater detail due to its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop photographs more aggressively. The fresher SZ3 will have an edge in sensor technology.