Panasonic ZS100 vs Pentax Q

Following is a in depth assessment of the Panasonic ZS100 and Pentax Q, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the ZS100 (20MP) and Q (12MP) and the ZS100 (1") and Q (1/2.3") have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS100 was manufactured 4 years after the Q which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Pentax Q being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a more detailed comparison, here is a simple summary of how the ZS100 matches up against the Q when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 & Pentax Q. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS100 Gallery & Pentax Q Gallery.

In case you're aiming to carry around your camera, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS100 provides exterior dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Pentax Q has measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 180 grams (0.40 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS100 and Pentax Q in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the ZS100 and the Q.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS100 and Q is 87 and 93 respectively.

Quite often, it is very hard to envision the contrast between sensor sizes only by checking technical specs. The pic below may give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS100 and Q.

As you can tell, each of these cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS100 because of its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic ZS100 will resolve more detail due to its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The younger ZS100 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor tech.