Panasonic ZS1 vs Pentax Q10

The following is a extensive comparison of the Panasonic ZS1 versus Pentax Q10, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the ZS1 (10MP) and the Q10 (12MP) is fairly close but the ZS1 (1/2.5") and Q10 (1/2.3") posses different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS1 was introduced 4 years prior to the Q10 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q10 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the ZS1 matches up against the Q10 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Pentax Q10. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Pentax Q10 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS1 provides physical dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Pentax Q10 has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 34mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic ZS1 versus Pentax Q10 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the ZS1 versus the Q10.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and Q10 is 91 and 92 respectively.

Often, it's difficult to visualize the contrast in sensor dimensions only by researching specifications. The pic underneath should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS1 and Q10.

To sum up, each of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZS1 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax Q10 will result in more detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images more aggressively. The more aged ZS1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.