Panasonic SZ5 vs. Pentax H90: A Hands-On Comparison for Budget Mini Compacts

When it comes to budget-friendly compact cameras, the Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ5 and the Pentax Optio H90 represent interesting, approachable options from a prior generation. Both pack modest specs and small sensors but target casual enthusiast photographers who crave simplicity and versatility without breaking the bank. Having spent many hours testing compact cameras with budgets around $150-$200, I wanted to take a deep dive into how these two stack up in the real world, beyond just the numbers on paper.

In this detailed comparison, I will walk you through everything - from sensor technology and image quality to handling, autofocus, and shooting versatility - to help you decide which camera, if any, fits your photography needs today. Whether you’re a casual snapshooter, a travel hobbyist, or someone looking for a dependable pocket-friendly backup, this article covers all bases.

Let’s get started by putting these two small sensor companions side by side.

Size, Handling, and Build - Which One Feels Better in Hand?

Right out of the gate, you might be surprised at just how similar these two cameras look. Both are slim, pocketable little guys designed for grab-and-go ease. The Panasonic SZ5 measures 104 x 58 x 21mm and weighs a featherweight 136 grams, while the Pentax H90 is slightly chunkier and heavier at 101 x 65 x 28mm and 153 grams. This difference, while subtle, becomes noticeable if you’re planning to carry one around all day.

Ergonomically, the SZ5’s sleek and thin profile favors minimalists and fans of ultra-compact cameras. The Pentax, with its slightly deeper grip, offers a more secure feel for people with larger hands or those who prefer some extra real estate for their clubs for thumbs.

Both employ plastic-built bodies without any weather sealing - which is pretty standard for compacts in this class - but in practice, the SZ5’s smooth finish feels modern and somewhat more refined, whereas the Pentax leans on a chunkier presence but doesn’t quite feel as well balanced.

Look at the top view controls:

The SZ5 sports simple, minimal buttons with a modest mode dial on the right. It’s clear Panasonic intended ease of use, offering no manual exposure controls or advanced modes. Similarly, the Pentax H90 sticks to basics but adds manual focusing ability - a feature missing on the SZ5 - which can be a lifesaver when shooting tricky macro or low-light scenes where autofocus hunts. This is a rare club in this category.

In terms of screen, both have fixed, non-touch LCDs - 3 inches on the Panasonic with 230k-dot resolution, and 2.7 inches on the Pentax with roughly the same resolution. The Panasonic’s slightly larger screen gives more room for composing and reviewing shots, an important plus when you want to see your images better without squinting.

Bottom line on handling: The SZ5 feels lighter and more streamlined, great for tucking away in pockets, while the Pentax offers a firmer grip and the advantage of manual focus. Both lack weather sealing and any rugged features, limiting use in harsh outdoor conditions.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Peeling Back the Layers

Here’s where it gets interesting - both cameras are built around similar 1/2.3” CCD sensors, but with notable differences in resolution and native ISO range.

The Panasonic SZ5 captures images at 14 megapixels with 100-1600 native ISO, extended up to 6400, while the Pentax H90 maxes out at 12 megapixels with ISO 80-6400. The sensor sizes are virtually identical, with 27.72 mm² vs. 28.07 mm² sensor areas, so optical physics dictate image quality will be fairly close.

In my extensive shooting tests under various lighting conditions, the Panasonic’s higher resolution did not produce noticeably sharper images at standard print sizes. Both cameras struggle in low light, typical of CCDs of this era, with noticeable noise creeping in past ISO 400. The Pentax, however, impressively handles ISO 80 which gave me slightly cleaner shadows in bright daylight.

Color reproduction is a toss-up. The SZ5 offers good default color tone accuracy with natural skin tones, making it a friendly choice for portrait snaps. The Pentax produces colors that tend towards cooler bias, sometimes requiring a bit more tweaking in post.

But where both really show their age is dynamic range: neither is able to capture wide exposure latitude you expect from modern CMOS sensors. Highlights tend to clip easily, shadows crush, and you’ll want to shoot in well-lit conditions or brace for heavier noise reduction work.

The SZ5 features contrast-detection autofocus with 23 focus points, face detection, and AF tracking which work reasonably well in good light but suffer in contrast-poor scenes. Pentax opts for 9 AF points with contrast detection but includes manual focus, which gives you more control for macro or low-light.

Real-World Performance in Photography Disciplines

How do these technical specs translate into actual shooting? Here’s a breakdown across popular genres:

Portrait Photography

The Panasonic SZ5’s 10x zoom lens (25-250mm equivalent) offers a versatile focal range that includes great short telephoto reach to produce flattering portraits with some background compression. Aperture ranges from f/3.1 to f/5.9, so don’t expect dreamy, creamy bokeh - but the Panasonic’s good face detection helps keep eyes sharp, a valuable assist for casual portraiture.

Pentax’s 5x zoom (28-140mm equivalent) is less flexible telephoto-wise but more manageable for generic snapshots. Manual focus capability is notable if you enjoy slightly more control over focus placement, though absence of face detection may make it harder to consistently nail critical focus on eyes in group shots.

Landscape Photography

Both cameras deliver 4:3 aspect ratio images at roughly 14MP (Panasonic) and 12MP (Pentax), enough for moderate enlargements and digital cropping.

Unfortunately, neither has weather sealing or robust build for demanding outdoor use - their small sensors and limited dynamic range mean landscapes in harsh mid-day sunlight or deep shadows will challenge their capture abilities.

Their moderate max apertures and limited ISO range make shooting handheld in low light tricky, pushing you to tripod use for twilight shots.

Wildlife and Sports

These cameras are not designed for serious wildlife or sports shooters. Their maximum continuous shooting speeds are extremely modest: 2 frames per second (fps) on the Panasonic and only 1 fps on the Pentax, far below the 10-20 fps range needed for action.

Autofocus systems, while decent for still subjects in good lighting, won’t reliably track fast-moving animals or athletes.

Street Photography

The Panasonic’s compactness and lighter weight give it more appeal as a street shooter. Its quiet operation, modest zoom, and autofocus speed suit casual urban roaming. The Pentax H90’s chunkier size and slower AF speed may feel cumbersome.

Both cameras have limited low-light capabilities, so night street photography will be challenging.

Macro Photography

The Panasonic SZ5 impresses with a close focus distance of 5cm, compared to Pentax’s 10cm minimum. This makes the SZ5 more flexible for capturing small details. However, neither camera offers focus stacking or advanced macro features.

Manual focus on the Pentax aids fine-tuned focus control, a plus for macro enthusiasts, though image stabilization - optical on Panasonic, sensor-shift on Pentax - helps counteract hand shake regardless.

Night/Astro Photography

Neither camera excels here. Limited ISO performance and lack of bulb mode or external trigger ports make astrophotography off the table. If long exposures are your thing, look elsewhere.

Video Capabilities

Both offer HD video recording at 1280 x 720 resolution. The Panasonic records at 30 or 25 fps in MPEG-4 format, while the Pentax uses Motion JPEG with options for 30 or 15 fps.

Neither has 4K video or microphone/headphone jacks. Video stabilization is basic but present.

Travel Photography

Here, size, battery life, and versatility count. The Panasonic SZ5’s longer zoom (10x) and lighter weight tip the scale in its favor for travelers who want flexibility and portability.

Battery life is roughly 250 shots per charge on the Panasonic - on par for a compact, while Pentax doesn’t specify but likely similar to slightly less.

Connectivity options are minimal on both - USB 2.0 and limited wireless (Panasonic built-in Wi-Fi vs. Pentax’s Eye-Fi card compatibility).

Professional Use

Neither camera is suited for professional workflows. No raw capture on either, limited manual controls, and relatively little customization restrict their utility to casual and entry-level use.

Image Samples Showdown

Panasonic SZ5 front Panasonic SZ5 screen back Pentax H90 front Pentax H90 screen back

I included a gallery above showcasing daylight, low light, macro, and zoomed shots from both cameras. You can see that the Panasonic SZ5 produces slightly crisper images with better color accuracy and more reach on the telephoto end. The Pentax H90’s images are softer with a cooler color cast, but manual focus allows for some shots with better critical focus, especially in macro frames.

Scores and Ratings: The Nuts and Bolts

As I evaluate each camera across image quality, autofocus, handling, and features, here are the overall performance ratings I came up with based on hands-on testing and comparison:

The Panasonic edges out most categories thanks to better zoom, larger screen, and smoother autofocus. The Pentax earns points for manual focus and sensor-shift stabilization, which benefits macro shooters.

Here’s a genre-specific breakdown:

Deep Dive: Autofocus Systems Compared

Both use contrast detection AF - a common setup for compacts at the time - meaning they rely on detecting contrast peaks to find focus. Neither uses phase detection, so AF speed and accuracy wane in low contrast or low light.

The Panasonic SZ5 boasts more AF points (23) and face detection, which aid in faster, more accurate focusing, especially in everyday scenarios.

The Pentax H90, with only 9 points and no face detection, largely depends on the photographer’s ability to frame and focus manually (which it supports only in a limited “manual focus” mode via button control - quite rare for this class).

While neither will rival modern mirrorless or DSLR AF systems, the Panasonic gives you a better chance to get sharp shots in casual use.

Lens and Zoom Capabilities: More Than Meets the Eye

The built-in zoom lens defines shooting versatility here. Panasonic’s lens offers a 10x zoom range (25-250mm equivalent), a respectable zoom for a compact, covering wide angle through significant telephoto.

The Pentax H90 has a 5x zoom spanning 28-140 mm equivalent, more limited for telephoto needs - less flattering for portraits or wildlife.

Maximum apertures are fairly similar and modest - no lens baby effects or spectacular bokeh on the menu.

Stabilization Showdown: Optical vs. Sensor Shift

The Panasonic SZ5 uses optical image stabilization (OIS), meaning the lens physically shifts elements to counteract hand shake.

The Pentax H90 employs sensor-shift stabilization, moving the sensor itself to reduce blur.

Both are effective at reducing minor hand jitters in well-lit conditions, but neither can overcome very low shutter speeds or extreme telephoto zoom shake perfectly.

Battery and Storage: Ready for Long Shoots?

Battery life on the Panasonic is rated at about 250 shots per charge - not stellar, but adequate for casual days out. The Pentax lacks official specs but uses a rechargeable D-LI68 lithium-ion battery, generally reliable but potentially shorter-lived given the older design.

Both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards allowing for ample image storage.

Connectivity and Wireless Features

The Panasonic SZ5 includes built-in Wi-Fi, a handy option for quick photo transfer to smartphones - great for casual shooters who want to share on social media without fuss.

The Pentax H90 supports Eye-Fi card compatibility for wireless transfer but has no built-in Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

No NFC or GPS in either camera, so location tagging and modern wireless convenience are absent.

Price-to-Performance: Which Is the Better Bargain?

At roughly $195 for the SZ5 and $150 for the H90, both are budget-friendly compacts ideal for cheapskates or beginners entering digital photography without much risk.

The Panasonic’s higher price gets you longer zoom, better autofocus, a bigger screen, and more modern connectivity - which translates to more use cases and easier shooting.

The Pentax’s main draws are manual focus and sensor-shift stabilization, desirable for niche shooters or those who highly value precise focus control on a tight budget.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Panasonic Lumix SZ5

Pros:

• Lightweight and slim design - easy to carry all day.
• 10x zoom (25-250mm equiv.) covers many shooting scenarios.
• Better autofocus system with face detection and 23 focus points.
• Larger 3" LCD screen for easy framing and review.
• Built-in WiFi for effortless sharing.
• Optical image stabilization improves sharpness.

Cons:

• No manual focus option limits creative control.
• CCD sensor struggles in low light with noise and limited dynamic range.
• No raw image capture for post-processing flexibility.
• Fixed aperture limits bokeh and depth-of-field control.

Pentax Optio H90

Pros:

• Manual focus capability, unique in this category.
• Sensor-shift stabilization effective for steady shooting.
• Slightly larger sensor area offers minor advantage in image quality.
• Low base ISO 80 useful for bright-light exposure control.

Cons:

• Shorter zoom range limits telephoto flexibility.
• Smaller LCD screen makes composing raw images harder.
• Slower continuous shooting rate and no face detection.
• Outdated video format (Motion JPEG) and limited video features.
• No built-in WiFi; relies on Eye-Fi card for wireless transfer.

Who Should Buy Which Camera?

• Choose the Panasonic SZ5 if you want the most versatile zoom, better autofocus, and a lightweight travel companion that covers casual photography needs with minimal fuss. Its Wi-Fi and slightly newer tech make it the better all-rounder for everyday snapshots, travel photos, and social situations. Perfect for beginners or travelers needing a simple pocket camera.

• Opt for the Pentax H90 if you’re a macro enthusiast or like to exert manual focus control on a budget. Also appealing if you want sensor-shift stabilization and don’t mind sacrificing zoom reach or autofocus speed. Ideal for hobbyists who want to learn focus techniques or prefer a camera with clutch control over focus in tricky lighting.

Final Thoughts: Can These Cheap Compacts Still Cut It?

While both these compact cameras show their vintage design and specs circa early 2010s, they arguably still serve entry-level photographers who want straightforward point-and-shoot tools without the complexity or cost of mirrorless systems.

From my extensive hands-on experience, I would personally gravitate toward the Panasonic SZ5 for its better balance of features, zoom range, and wireless connectivity. The Pentax H90, however, offers an intriguing manual focus option that may appeal to certain niche users.

Neither is recommended for professional use, low-light shooting, or demanding photography genres, but if you’re on a budget and need a reliable, compact companion for daily shooting, both will do the job with a bit of patience and understanding of their limitations.

Just manage your expectations on image quality and performance, and either can be an affordable introduction to digital photography or a capable second camera for casual use.

To recap:

(reference for body and sensor sizes)

Panasonic SZ5 front Panasonic SZ5 screen back Pentax H90 front Pentax H90 screen back

Thanks for reading my detailed Panasonic SZ5 vs. Pentax H90 comparison! Hopefully, you now have a clearer sense of what these small sensor compacts offer and which one might fit your photography style and budget. Happy shooting!