Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax I-10

The following is a in-depth review of the Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax I-10, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS100 (20MP) and I-10 (12MP) and the ZS100 (1") and I-10 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The ZS100 was unveiled 6 years after the I-10 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Pentax I-10 being a Compact camera.

Before we go through a comprehensive comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the ZS100 scores versus the I-10 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 & Pentax Optio I-10. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS100 Gallery & Pentax I-10 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to travel with your camera often, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS100 features exterior dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs) and the Pentax I-10 has dimensions of 101mm x 65mm x 28mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 153 grams (0.34 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax I-10 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Following is the front view measurements comparison of the ZS100 and the I-10.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS100 and I-10 is 87 and 93 respectively.

Typically, its tough to see the contrast between sensor dimensions only by reviewing technical specs. The pic here should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS100 and I-10.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ZS100 having a bigger sensor will make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic ZS100 will offer greater detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The fresher ZS100 is going to have an edge in sensor technology.