Panasonic ZS30 vs Pentax W90

Its time to look more in depth at the Panasonic ZS30 and Pentax W90, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Waterproof by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a sizable difference among the image resolutions of the ZS30 (18MP) and W90 (12MP) but both cameras have the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The ZS30 was unveiled 2 years after the W90 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief view of how the ZS30 matches up vs the W90 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 & Pentax Optio W90. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS30 Gallery & Pentax W90 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS30 has got physical measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs) and the Pentax W90 has specifications of 108mm x 59mm x 25mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 164 grams (0.36 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS30 and Pentax W90 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are employing at the time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the ZS30 versus the W90.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS30 and W90 is 92 and 94 respectively.

Generally, its difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizes merely by going through specifications. The picture underneath should give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS30 and W90.

To sum up, the two cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Panasonic ZS30 to show greater detail having an extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also let you crop shots more aggressively. The more modern ZS30 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.