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Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2

Portability
94
Imaging
40
Features
31
Overall
36
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 front
 
Pentax ist DL2 front
Portability
69
Imaging
44
Features
33
Overall
39

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Key Specs

Panasonic SZ8
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 1600 (Bump to 6400)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 24-288mm (F3.1-6.3) lens
  • 159g - 100 x 60 x 27mm
  • Announced January 2014
Pentax ist DL2
(Full Review)
  • 6MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 200 - 3200
  • Pentax KAF Mount
  • 565g - 125 x 93 x 66mm
  • Launched January 2006
Photography Glossary

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Overview

Lets look a bit more closely at the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax ist DL2, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the SZ8 (16MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the SZ8 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The SZ8 was released 8 years later than the ist DL2 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a simple overview of how the SZ8 scores vs the ist DL2 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic SZ8 over the Pentax ist DL2

 SZ8 ist DL2 
LaunchedJanuary 2014January 2006More recent by 97 months
Screen dimension3"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Screen resolution460k210kCrisper screen (+250k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax ist DL2 over the Panasonic SZ8

 ist DL2 SZ8 
Focus manually Dial exact focusing

Common features in the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax ist DL2

 SZ8 ist DL2 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen
Touch friendly screen Neither contains Touch friendly screen

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Physical Comparison

For those who are intending to lug around your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic SZ8 has got outside measurements of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax ist DL2 has dimensions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

See the Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax ist DL2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that time. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the SZ8 and the ist DL2.

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SZ8 and ist DL2 is 94 and 69 respectively.

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Sensor Comparison

Usually, it is very hard to see the gap between sensor measurements purely by reading through a spec sheet. The visual here may offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SZ8 and ist DL2.

Clearly, both of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The SZ8 due to its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic SZ8 will give greater detail as a result of its extra 10MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively. The younger SZ8 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor innovation.

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 sensor size comparison

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Panasonic SZ8
Portrait photography with Pentax ist DL2
35
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
provides face detection autofocus
lack of manual focus
lack of manual exposure
no external flash support
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
50
has manual focus
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
doesn't have liveview
low MP (6MP)
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Street Comparison

Panasonic SZ8 Street photography features
Pentax ist DL2 Street photography features
63
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than average in class (159 grams)
screen does not articulate
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
60
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
lighter than competitors (565 grams)
no moving screen
no image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Panasonic SZ8
Sports photography with Pentax ist DL2
34
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16MP)
max fps low (1.0 fps)
no shutter priority
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
bad battery life (200 CIPA)
has no phase detect autofocus
38
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports phase detect auto focus
doesn't have liveview
max frames per second very slow (3.0 fps)
no image stabilization
low MP (6MP)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic SZ8 Travel photography details
Pentax ist DL2 Travel photography details
67
lighter than average in class (159g)
resolution is good (16MP)
built-in flash
fairly wide (24mm)
very long zoom (288mm)
missing Timelapse recording
bad battery life (200 CIPA)
does not have selfie friendly display
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
52
lighter than competitors (565g)
flash built-in
doesn't have Timelapse recording
low MP (6MP)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic SZ8
Landscape photography with Pentax ist DL2
42
fairly wide (24mm)
screen is a good size (3 inch)
has image stabilization (Optical)
resolution is good (16 megapixels)
lack of manual focus
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
lack of manual exposure
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
bad battery life (200 per charge)
missing Timelapse recording
46
has manual focus
swap lenses (Pentax KAF mount)
sensor size is decent (APS-C)
supports RAW files
small screen (2.5")
doesn't have liveview
no image stabilization
low MP (6 megapixels)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic SZ8 Vlogging info
Pentax ist DL2 Vlogging info
32
fairly wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
provides face detection autofocus
lighter than average in class (159g)
slow maximum aperture (f3.1)
does not have selfie friendly display
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
missing external microphone port
22
lighter than competitors (565 grams)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
no image stabilization
video res low ( resolution)
doesn't have microphone support
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Panasonic SZ8 vs Pentax ist DL2 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic SZ8 and Pentax ist DL2
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8Pentax ist DL2
General Information
Manufacturer Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 Pentax ist DL2
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Announced 2014-01-06 2006-01-27
Physical type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Chip Venus Engine -
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.5 x 15.7mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 369.0mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixels 6 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Highest Possible resolution 4608 x 3456 3008 x 2008
Maximum native ISO 1600 3200
Maximum enhanced ISO 6400 -
Minimum native ISO 100 200
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
AF selectice
Center weighted AF
Multi area AF
Live view AF
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 9 5
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Pentax KAF
Lens focal range 24-288mm (12.0x) -
Highest aperture f/3.1-6.3 -
Total lenses - 151
Focal length multiplier 5.9 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 3 inch 2.5 inch
Screen resolution 460k dots 210k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch capability
Screen tech TFT LCD -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Optical
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.57x
Features
Min shutter speed 8s 30s
Max shutter speed 1/2000s 1/4000s
Continuous shutter rate 1.0fps 3.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 5.20 m -
Flash settings Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF area
Center weighted
Video features
Video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p), 320 x 240 (30p) -
Maximum video resolution 1280x720 -
Video format Motion JPEG -
Microphone support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In No
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 159 grams (0.35 lbs) 565 grams (1.25 lbs)
Dimensions 100 x 60 x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") 125 x 93 x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested 65
DXO Color Depth score not tested 22.9
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 11.1
DXO Low light score not tested 639
Other
Battery life 200 photographs -
Type of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model - 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/MMC card
Card slots 1 1
Launch pricing $275 -