Panasonic ZS10 vs Pentax K-5 IIs

Here is a thorough assessment of the Panasonic ZS10 vs Pentax K-5 IIs, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the ZS10 (14MP) and the K-5 IIs (16MP) is relatively comparable but the ZS10 (1/2.3") and K-5 IIs (APS-C) possess totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS10 was announced 3 years before the K-5 IIs and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS10 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 IIs being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief summary of how the ZS10 scores versus the K-5 IIs with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10 and Pentax K-5 IIs. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS10 Gallery and Pentax K-5 IIs Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS10 provides exterior dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") with a weight of 219 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Pentax K-5 IIs has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS10 vs Pentax K-5 IIs in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are using during that time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the ZS10 vs the K-5 IIs.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS10 and K-5 IIs is 91 and 60 respectively.

Usually, it can be hard to envision the gap in sensor sizing simply by checking out specs. The graphic here should give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS10 and K-5 IIs.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras enjoy different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS10 with its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Pentax K-5 IIs will produce greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older ZS10 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.