Panasonic ZS25 vs Pentax ist DS2

Let's look a little more closely at the Panasonic ZS25 vs Pentax ist DS2, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference between the image resolutions of the ZS25 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the ZS25 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) posses different sensor sizes.

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The ZS25 was launched 7 years after the ist DS2 which is quite a serious difference as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS25 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief view of how the ZS25 grades against the ist DS2 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 & Pentax ist DS2. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS25 Gallery & Pentax ist DS2 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS25 has physical measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Pentax ist DS2 has specifications of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") and a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS25 vs Pentax ist DS2 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you choose at the time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the ZS25 vs the ist DS2.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the ZS25 and ist DS2 is 93 and 68 respectively.

Often, it is very tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes merely by looking at a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS25 and ist DS2.

Clearly, the 2 cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS25 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Panasonic ZS25 will give more detail utilizing its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will help you crop images way more aggressively. The younger ZS25 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.