Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

The following is a extensive overview of the Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-5 IIs, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and K-5 IIs (16MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and K-5 IIs (APS-C) have different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The ZS1 was revealed 5 years before the K-5 IIs which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the ZS1 grades versus the K-5 IIs for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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

For anyone who is planning to travel with your camera, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS1 enjoys outside measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 IIs has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-5 IIs in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the ZS1 and the K-5 IIs.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and K-5 IIs is 91 and 60 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The image here may provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS1 and K-5 IIs.

All in all, both the cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS1 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Pentax K-5 IIs will provide more detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop pics more aggressively. The more aged ZS1 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.