Panasonic ZS40 vs Pentax K20D

On this page, we are matching up the Panasonic ZS40 and Pentax K20D, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the ZS40 (18MP) and the K20D (15MP) is very well matched but the ZS40 (1/2.3") and K20D (APS-C) provide different sensor sizing.

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The ZS40 was brought out 5 years later than the K20D and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a brief summary of how the ZS40 scores versus the K20D for portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Pentax K20D. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery and Pentax K20D Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS40 offers exterior 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 K20D has sizing of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") and a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic ZS40 and Pentax K20D in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is a front view scale comparison of the ZS40 vs the K20D.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS40 and K20D is 90 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to picture the contrast between sensor measurements simply by checking specs. The visual below may provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS40 and K20D.

All in all, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS40 due to its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF trickier and the Panasonic ZS40 will give greater detail having its extra 3MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The more modern ZS40 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.