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Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2

Portability
91
Imaging
40
Features
55
Overall
46
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 front
 
Pentax ist DS2 front
Portability
68
Imaging
44
Features
33
Overall
39

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Key Specs

Panasonic ZS45
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Display
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-480mm (F3.3-6.4) lens
  • 249g - 108 x 60 x 32mm
  • Introduced January 2015
  • Additionally referred to as Lumix DMC-TZ57
  • Previous Model is Panasonic ZS40
  • Renewed by Panasonic ZS50
Pentax ist DS2
(Full Review)
  • 6MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 200 - 3200
  • Pentax KAF Mount
  • 605g - 125 x 93 x 66mm
  • Introduced August 2005
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Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Overview

Below is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the ZS45 (16MP) and ist DS2 (6MP) and the ZS45 (1/2.3") and ist DS2 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS45 was released 9 years later than the ist DS2 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS45 being a Compact camera and the Pentax ist DS2 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a thorough comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the ZS45 matches up versus the ist DS2 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS45 over the Pentax ist DS2

 ZS45 ist DS2 
IntroducedJanuary 2015August 2005More recent by 115 months
Display typeTiltingFixed Tilting display
Display dimension3"2.5"Larger display (+0.5")
Display resolution1040k210kSharper display (+830k dot)

Reasons to pick Pentax ist DS2 over the Panasonic ZS45

 ist DS2 ZS45 
Manual focus More accurate focusing

Common features in the Panasonic ZS45 and Pentax ist DS2

 ZS45 ist DS2 
Selfie screen Neither provides selfie screen
Touch friendly display Neither provides Touch friendly display

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Physical Comparison

For anyone who is going to lug around your camera, you'll have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS45 provides outside measurements of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs) and the Pentax ist DS2 has proportions of 125mm x 93mm x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6") with a weight of 605 grams (1.33 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the ZS45 versus the ist DS2.

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 size comparison

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS45 and ist DS2 is 91 and 68 respectively.

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it can be hard to envision the difference between sensor measurements merely by checking specs. The visual below should offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS45 and ist DS2.

All in all, both cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The ZS45 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Panasonic ZS45 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images much more aggressively. The more recent ZS45 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 sensor size comparison

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Panasonic ZS45
Portrait photography with Pentax ist DS2
37
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
has face detection focus
focusing manually not possible
cannot use external flash
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
50
manual focus
sensor size is good (APS-C)
saves RAW files
doesn't have liveview
low MP (6MP)
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Street Comparison

Panasonic ZS45 Street photography features
Pentax ist DS2 Street photography features
69
tilting screen
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (249g)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
60
sensor size is good (APS-C)
saves RAW files
lighter than competition in class (605 grams)
fixed screen
does not have image stabilization
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Sports Comparison

Sports photography with Panasonic ZS45
Sports photography with Pentax ist DS2
55
excellent zoom range (24-480mm 20.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (16 megapixels)
has tracking autofocus
good battery power (350 per charge)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no phase detect auto focus
38
sensor size is good (APS-C)
supports phase detect AF
doesn't have liveview
max frames per second very slow (3.0 frames/s)
does not have image stabilization
low MP (6MP)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic ZS45 Travel photography factors
Pentax ist DS2 Travel photography factors
71
good battery power (350 per charge)
lighter than competition in class (249 grams)
MP count decent (16MP)
flash built-in
really wide (24mm)
great zoom (480mm)
missing Timelapse function
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
52
lighter than competition in class (605 grams)
built-in flash
does not have Time Lapse function
low MP (6MP)
display isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic ZS45 as a Landscape photography camera
Pentax ist DS2 as a Landscape photography camera
47
really wide (24mm)
decent sized screen (3 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
MP count decent (16MP)
good battery power (350 shots)
focusing manually not possible
cannot change lenses (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
has no RAW files
missing Timelapse function
46
manual focus
interchangeable lenses (Pentax KAF mount)
sensor size is good (APS-C)
saves RAW files
screen is small (2.5")
doesn't have liveview
does not have image stabilization
low MP (6 megapixels)
does not have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic ZS45
Vlogging with Pentax ist DS2
34
really wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
has face detection focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition in class (249g)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't have selfie friendly screen
missing external microphone jack
22
lighter than competition in class (605 grams)
display isn't selfie friendly
does not have image stabilization
video quality not great ( resolution)
does not have mic support
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Panasonic ZS45 vs Pentax ist DS2 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic ZS45 and Pentax ist DS2
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45Pentax ist DS2
General Information
Make Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 Pentax ist DS2
Also referred to as Lumix DMC-TZ57 -
Type Small Sensor Superzoom Advanced DSLR
Introduced 2015-01-06 2005-08-22
Physical type Compact Mid-size SLR
Sensor Information
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor dimensions 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.5 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 369.0mm²
Sensor resolution 16 megapixel 6 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Maximum resolution 4608 x 3456 3008 x 2008
Maximum native ISO 6400 3200
Min native ISO 100 200
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
Single AF
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detect AF
Contract detect AF
Phase detect AF
Number of focus points 21 11
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Pentax KAF
Lens focal range 24-480mm (20.0x) -
Largest aperture f/3.3-6.4 -
Macro focus range 3cm -
Available lenses - 151
Focal length multiplier 5.9 1.5
Screen
Type of display Tilting Fixed Type
Display diagonal 3 inches 2.5 inches
Resolution of display 1,040k dots 210k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch friendly
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical
Viewfinder coverage - 95 percent
Viewfinder magnification - 0.64x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 4 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/2000 secs 1/4000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 10.0 frames/s 3.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Custom WB
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 6.00 m -
Flash options Auto, Auto/Red-eye Reduction, Forced On, Slow Sync./Red-eye Reduction, Forced Off Auto, On, Off, Red-eye reduction
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (30p), 1280 x 720 (30p), 640 x 480 (30p) -
Maximum video resolution 1920x1080 -
Video data format MPEG-4 -
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless Built-In No
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 249g (0.55 lb) 605g (1.33 lb)
Dimensions 108 x 60 x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") 125 x 93 x 66mm (4.9" x 3.7" x 2.6")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery life 350 photos -
Form of battery Battery Pack -
Battery model - 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 12 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/MMC card
Card slots One One
Cost at launch $300 -