Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax K20D

Its time to take a closer look at the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K20D, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and K20D (15MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and K20D (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The ZS1 was revealed 11 months later than the K20D which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going into a full comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the ZS1 matches up against the K20D in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Pentax K20D. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera often, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS1 features exterior dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Pentax K20D has proportions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS1 and Pentax K20D in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the ZS1 vs the K20D.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS1 and K20D is 91 and 59 respectively.

Often, it can be difficult to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by looking through specifications. The visual here may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS1 and K20D.

To sum up, the two cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS1 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax K20D will provide you with extra detail because of its extra 5 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more modern ZS1 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.