Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax Q

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax Q, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference between the sensor resolutions of the SZ8 (16MP) and Q (12MP) but they feature the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The SZ8 was released 2 years later than the Q and that is quite a big difference as far as tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the SZ8 matches up against the Q with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 & Pentax Q. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery & Pentax Q Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic SZ8 has outer dimensions of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax Q has measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.2") and a weight of 180 grams (0.40 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax Q in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you choose during that time. Underneath is the front view scale comparison of the SZ8 compared to the Q.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the SZ8 and Q is 94 and 93 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualise the gap between sensor measurements simply by reviewing a spec sheet. The visual below will help provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the SZ8 and Q.

As you can see, the 2 cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic SZ8 to offer greater detail as a result of its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images far more aggressively. The more recent SZ8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.