Panasonic ZS20 vs Pentax K-5

Here is a in depth review of the Panasonic ZS20 versus Pentax K-5, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the ZS20 (14MP) and the K-5 (16MP) is fairly well matched but the ZS20 (1/2.3") and K-5 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS20 was manufactured 17 months later than the K-5 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving through a full comparison, below is a short overview of how the ZS20 grades against the K-5 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 & Pentax K-5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery & Pentax K-5 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera regularly, you should think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS20 comes with physical measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Pentax K-5 has specifications of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") with a weight of 740 grams (1.63 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS20 versus Pentax K-5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view physical size comparison of the ZS20 versus the K-5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS20 and K-5 is 92 and 60 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizing just by reading through specifications. The photograph underneath might offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS20 and K-5.

To sum up, both of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS20 featuring a tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-5 will resolve more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images much more aggressively. The more recent ZS20 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.