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Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500

Portability
95
Imaging
37
Features
41
Overall
38
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 front
 
Pentax K-500 front
Portability
64
Imaging
58
Features
70
Overall
62

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Key Specs

Panasonic SZ7
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-250mm (F3.1-5.9) lens
  • 133g - 99 x 59 x 21mm
  • Announced January 2012
Pentax K-500
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Display
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 646g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Revealed November 2013
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Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Overview

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ7 (14MP) and the K-500 (16MP) is fairly similar but the SZ7 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The SZ7 was unveiled 22 months earlier than the K-500 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ7 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick summation of how the SZ7 scores versus the K-500 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ7 over the Pentax K-500

 SZ7 K-500 

Reasons to pick Pentax K-500 over the Panasonic SZ7

 K-500 SZ7 
RevealedNovember 2013January 2012Fresher by 22 months
Focus manually Dial exact focus
Display resolution921k460kCrisper display (+461k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic SZ7 and Pentax K-500

 SZ7 K-500 
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Display dimensions3"3"Equal display dimensions
Selfie screen Lacking selfie screen
Touch display Lacking Touch display

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Physical Comparison

If you're planning to carry your camera frequently, you will want to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic SZ7 features external dimensions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 133 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Pentax K-500 has dimensions of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Following is a front view scale comparison of the SZ7 compared to the K-500.

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ7 and K-500 is 95 and 64 respectively.

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Sensor Comparison

Sometimes, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor sizing simply by reviewing specifications. The graphic underneath will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ7 and K-500.

Plainly, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SZ7 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-500 will offer greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older SZ7 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 sensor size comparison

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 as a Portrait photography camera
Pentax K-500 as a Portrait photography camera
33
good megapixels (14MP)
includes face detect focus
manual focus not available
no manual control
external flash not possible
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
74
has manual focus
good MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports face detection autofocus
exports RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 Street photography details
Pentax K-500 Street photography details
63
built in image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competitors (133 grams)
fixed screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
68
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
exports RAW files
very good ISO range (51,600)
screen does not articulate
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 Sports photography details
Pentax K-500 Sports photography details
43
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (14 megapixels)
includes tracking focus
lack of shutter priority mode
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
72
max shutter speed is good (1/6,000s)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
supports tracking autofocus
better than average battery power (710 shots)
comes with phase detect autofocus
max fps low (6.0 frames/s)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 Travel photography highlights
Pentax K-500 Travel photography highlights
70
lighter than competitors (133g)
good megapixels (14MP)
flash built-in
decently wide (25mm)
great reach (250mm)
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
display is not selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
67
better than average battery power (710 CIPA)
good MP (16MP)
flash built-in
doesn't have selfie friendly display
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 Landscape photography highlights
Pentax K-500 Landscape photography highlights
42
decently wide (25mm)
screen is a good size (3")
built in image stabilization (Optical)
good megapixels (14MP)
manual focus not available
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
no manual control
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW files
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
79
has manual focus
switch lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
good sized screen (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
good MP (16 megapixels)
sensor size is nice (APS-C)
very good ISO range (51,600)
exports RAW files
better than average battery power (710 CIPA)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic SZ7 Vlogging information
Pentax K-500 Vlogging information
35
decently wide (25mm)
built in image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect focus
high quality video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
lighter than competitors (133 grams)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.1)
display is not selfie friendly
doesn't have mic port
30
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
supports face detection autofocus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
missing external microphone port
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Panasonic SZ7 vs Pentax K-500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic SZ7 and Pentax K-500
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7Pentax K-500
General Information
Manufacturer Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ7 Pentax K-500
Class Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level DSLR
Announced 2012-01-09 2013-11-27
Body design Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by - PRIME M
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 14 megapixel 16 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Full resolution 4320 x 3240 4928 x 3264
Max native ISO 6400 51600
Lowest native ISO 100 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points 23 11
Cross focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens focal range 25-250mm (10.0x) -
Maximum aperture f/3.1-5.9 -
Macro focus distance 4cm -
Number of lenses - 151
Crop factor 5.9 1.5
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inches 3 inches
Resolution of display 460k dot 921k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Display tech TFT Color LCD TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Lowest shutter speed 8 secs 30 secs
Highest shutter speed 1/1600 secs 1/6000 secs
Continuous shooting speed 10.0 frames/s 6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 5.60 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Highest flash sync - 1/180 secs
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1920x1080
Video file format MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone jack
Headphone jack
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 133 gr (0.29 lb) 646 gr (1.42 lb)
Physical dimensions 99 x 59 x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 79
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 13.1
DXO Low light score not tested 1087
Other
Battery life 220 images 710 images
Style of battery Battery Pack AA
Battery model - 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC
Storage slots Single Single
Retail pricing $199 $600