Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax W90

On this page, we will be comparing the Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax W90, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the latter is a Waterproof by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS100 (20MP) and W90 (12MP) and the ZS100 (1") and W90 (1/2.3") boast different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS100 was manufactured 5 years later than the W90 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Pentax W90 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a quick view of how the ZS100 scores against the W90 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Pentax Optio W90. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS100 Gallery and Pentax W90 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera often, you will have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS100 offers physical 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 W90 has proportions of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") with a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax W90 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view measurements comparison of the ZS100 versus the W90.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS100 and W90 is 87 and 94 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to picture the contrast between sensor sizing simply by looking at specs. The graphic below will provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS100 and W90.

All in all, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS100 due to its bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic ZS100 will resolve greater detail due to its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs more aggressively. The fresher ZS100 provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.