Panasonic ZS40 vs Pentax K-S1

Let's look closer at the Panasonic ZS40 and Pentax K-S1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the ZS40 (18MP) and the K-S1 (20MP) is fairly comparable but the ZS40 (1/2.3") and K-S1 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS40 was announced 7 months prior to the K-S1 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S1 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going in to a in-depth comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the ZS40 grades vs the K-S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Pentax K-S1. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery and Pentax K-S1 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS40 provides physical measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) and the Pentax K-S1 has proportions of 121mm x 93mm x 70mm (4.8" x 3.7" x 2.8") along with a weight of 558 grams (1.23 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS40 and Pentax K-S1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the ZS40 against the K-S1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS40 and K-S1 is 90 and 69 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizing just by checking out a spec sheet. The photograph here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS40 and K-S1.

Clearly, both of these cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS40 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-S1 will provide greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older ZS40 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.