Panasonic ZS20 vs Pentax ist DL2

Here, we will be evaluating the Panasonic ZS20 vs Pentax ist DL2, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a crucial gap among the resolutions of the ZS20 (14MP) and ist DL2 (6MP) and the ZS20 (1/2.3") and ist DL2 (APS-C) boast different sensor measurements.

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The ZS20 was released 6 years after the ist DL2 which is a fairly serious gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DL2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a short highlight of how the ZS20 matches up against the ist DL2 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 and Pentax ist DL2. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery and Pentax ist DL2 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS20 comes with outside dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Pentax ist DL2 has sizing of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 565 grams (1.25 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS20 vs Pentax ist DL2 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at that time. Below is a front view size comparison of the ZS20 versus the ist DL2.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS20 and ist DL2 is 92 and 69 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to picture the contrast in sensor sizes only by going through specifications. The pic underneath should provide you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS20 and ist DL2.

To sum up, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The ZS20 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Panasonic ZS20 will show more detail as a result of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more modern ZS20 provides a benefit in sensor tech.