Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K-S2

On this page, we will be looking at the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-S2, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and K-S2 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS1 was announced 6 years earlier than the K-S2 which is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the ZS1 scores against the K-S2 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Pentax K-S2. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera often, you have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS1 has got outer dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax K-S2 has dimensions of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") having a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K-S2 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the ZS1 against the K-S2.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and K-S2 is 91 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it is hard to envision the difference between sensor dimensions merely by going over technical specs. The image underneath may give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS1 and K-S2.

As you can tell, the 2 cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ZS1 with its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Pentax K-S2 will deliver greater detail with its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop shots more aggressively. The more aged ZS1 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.