Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax K20D

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic SZ8 versus Pentax K20D, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the SZ8 (16MP) and the K20D (15MP) is fairly well matched but the SZ8 (1/2.3") and K20D (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ8 was brought out 5 years later than the K20D and that is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the SZ8 matches up vs the K20D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 and Pentax K20D. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera, you are going to need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic SZ8 comes with physical 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 K20D has measurements of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic SZ8 versus Pentax K20D in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is a front view overall size comparison of the SZ8 against the K20D.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SZ8 and K20D is 94 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor measurements just by looking at technical specs. The visual underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ8 and K20D.

As you can tell, both of these cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ8 because of its tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh harder and the Panasonic SZ8 will resolve more detail having its extra 1 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images way more aggressively. The fresher SZ8 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.