Panasonic TS20 vs Pentax 645Z

Let's take a deeper look at the Panasonic TS20 vs Pentax 645Z, one being a Waterproof and the other is a Pro DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the TS20 (16MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the TS20 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) provide different sensor dimensions.

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The TS20 was revealed 3 years earlier than the 645Z and that is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic TS20 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a short overview of how the TS20 grades vs the 645Z in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS20 and Pentax 645Z. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic TS20 Gallery and Pentax 645Z Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic TS20 features outside measurements of 101mm x 58mm x 19mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs) and the Pentax 645Z has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") and a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic TS20 vs Pentax 645Z in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is a front view over all size comparison of the TS20 and the 645Z.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the TS20 and 645Z is 95 and 49 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to imagine the difference between sensor measurements simply by checking specifications. The photograph here may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the TS20 and 645Z.

To sum up, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The TS20 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax 645Z will give you greater detail because of its extra 35 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The older TS20 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.