Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax K-7

The following is a in-depth comparison of the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax K-7, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the SZ8 (16MP) and the K-7 (15MP) is fairly well matched but the SZ8 (1/2.3") and K-7 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The SZ8 was introduced 4 years after the K-7 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-7 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick view of how the SZ8 grades against the K-7 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 and Pentax K-7. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery and Pentax K-7 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic SZ8 has got exterior dimensions of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-7 has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 750 grams (1.65 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax K-7 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use during that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the SZ8 against the K-7.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SZ8 and K-7 is 94 and 60 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by reading through technical specs. The image below might provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ8 and K-7.

As you can tell, both of these cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The SZ8 using its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic SZ8 will resolve greater detail using its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The more recent SZ8 is going to have a benefit in sensor innovation.