Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-70

Here is a extended comparison of the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-70, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a considerable difference among the resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and K-70 (24MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and K-70 (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS1 was revealed 8 years earlier than the K-70 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-70 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a thorough comparison, here is a concise introduction of how the ZS1 matches up vs the K-70 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 & Pentax K-70. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery & Pentax K-70 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry your camera regularly, you should factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS1 features external measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Pentax K-70 has dimensions of 126mm x 93mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 2.9") and a weight of 688 grams (1.52 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-70 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you select at that time. Following is a front view size comparison of the ZS1 versus the K-70.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and K-70 is 91 and 62 respectively.

Often, it is very difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizing merely by viewing technical specs. The graphic underneath might provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS1 and K-70.

As you can tell, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS1 using its smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Pentax K-70 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 14MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The older ZS1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.