Panasonic ZS40 vs Pentax K-3 II

On this page, we are evaluating the Panasonic ZS40 versus Pentax K-3 II, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the ZS40 (18MP) and K-3 II (24MP) and the ZS40 (1/2.3") and K-3 II (APS-C) offer different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The ZS40 was unveiled 15 months prior to the K-3 II making them a generation apart from each other. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-3 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the ZS40 grades vs the K-3 II in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 & Pentax K-3 II. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery & Pentax K-3 II Gallery.

When you are going to lug around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS40 offers outer dimensions of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") and a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) while the Pentax K-3 II has measurements of 131mm x 100mm x 77mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") along with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS40 versus Pentax K-3 II in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the ZS40 compared to the K-3 II.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS40 and K-3 II is 90 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The visual below will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS40 and K-3 II.

As you can tell, both cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS40 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-3 II will provide you with greater detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images more aggressively. The older ZS40 will be behind with regard to sensor tech.