Panasonic ZS20 vs Pentax K-x

Following is a in depth comparison of the Panasonic ZS20 and Pentax K-x, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the ZS20 (14MP) and the K-x (12MP) is fairly well matched but the ZS20 (1/2.3") and K-x (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS20 was revealed 2 years after the K-x which is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-x being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a complete comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the ZS20 matches up versus the K-x in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 & Pentax K-x. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery & Pentax K-x Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS20 has external measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) and the Pentax K-x has measurements of 123mm x 92mm x 68mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.7") having a weight of 580 grams (1.28 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS20 and Pentax K-x in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the ZS20 compared to the K-x.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS20 and K-x is 92 and 69 respectively.

Typically, it is hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading through a spec sheet. The pic below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS20 and K-x.

As you can see, each of these cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The ZS20 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic ZS20 will give you greater detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics way more aggressively. The fresher ZS20 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.