Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-5 II

Following is a in depth comparison of the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-5 II, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and K-5 II (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The ZS1 was unveiled 5 years prior to the K-5 II which is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving through a thorough comparison, below is a short introduction of how the ZS1 scores versus the K-5 II with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry around your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS1 has external measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 II has dimensions of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-5 II in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the ZS1 and the K-5 II.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS1 and K-5 II is 91 and 60 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizes purely by checking specs. The picture below might give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS1 and K-5 II.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS1 having a tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh harder and the Pentax K-5 II will give you greater detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged ZS1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.