Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax KP

Let's look a little more closely at the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax KP, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the SZ8 (16MP) and KP (24MP) and the SZ8 (1/2.3") and KP (APS-C) posses different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The SZ8 was revealed 4 years before the KP which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax KP being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a concise summary of how the SZ8 scores against the KP with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 and Pentax KP. The full galleries are available at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery and Pentax KP Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic SZ8 features external measurements of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Pentax KP has specifications of 132mm x 101mm x 76mm (5.2" x 4.0" x 3.0") having a weight of 703 grams (1.55 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax KP in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ8 versus the KP.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ8 and KP is 94 and 61 respectively.

Generally, it can be hard to visualize the difference between sensor sizes only by looking at specifications. The pic here will offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SZ8 and KP.

To sum up, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The SZ8 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Pentax KP will resolve extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged SZ8 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.