Panasonic ZS40 vs Pentax WS80

Its time to examine more in depth at the Panasonic ZS40 versus Pentax WS80, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Waterproof by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the ZS40 (18MP) and WS80 (10MP) but they feature the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The ZS40 was launched 4 years later than the WS80 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short summary of how the ZS40 grades against the WS80 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Pentax Optio WS80. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery and Pentax WS80 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera, you will want to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS40 enjoys external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") having a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) while the Pentax WS80 has proportions of 92mm x 60mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.4" x 0.9") along with a weight of 125 grams (0.28 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS40 versus Pentax WS80 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Following is the front view scale comparison of the ZS40 vs the WS80.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS40 and WS80 is 90 and 95 respectively.

Often, its hard to envision the difference in sensor sizing simply by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS40 and WS80.

As you can see, both of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Panasonic ZS40 to produce greater detail utilizing its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics far more aggressively. The fresher ZS40 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.