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Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500

Portability
92
Imaging
35
Features
30
Overall
33
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 front
 
Pentax K-500 front
Portability
64
Imaging
58
Features
70
Overall
62

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Key Specs

Panasonic ZS5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-300mm (F3.3-4.9) lens
  • 214g - 103 x 60 x 32mm
  • Revealed June 2010
  • Additionally referred to as Lumix DMC-TZ8
Pentax K-500
(Full Review)
  • 16MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 51600
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • 1/6000s Maximum Shutter
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Pentax KAF2 Mount
  • 646g - 130 x 97 x 71mm
  • Launched November 2013
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Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Overview

Below is a in-depth analysis of the Panasonic ZS5 versus Pentax K-500, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a noticeable gap between the resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and K-500 (16MP) and the ZS5 (1/2.3") and K-500 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The ZS5 was announced 4 years earlier than the K-500 and that is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the ZS5 grades vs the K-500 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS5 over the Pentax K-500

 ZS5 K-500 

Reasons to pick Pentax K-500 over the Panasonic ZS5

 K-500 ZS5 
LaunchedNovember 2013June 2010More recent by 42 months
Manual focus More accurate focus
Screen size3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution921k230kSharper screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic ZS5 and Pentax K-500

 ZS5 K-500 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen No selfie screen
Touch friendly screen No Touch friendly screen

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Physical Comparison

In case you're looking to lug around your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS5 comes with physical measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Pentax K-500 has measurements of 130mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 646 grams (1.42 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS5 versus Pentax K-500 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Here is a front view size comparison of the ZS5 and the K-500.

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 size comparison

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS5 and K-500 is 92 and 64 respectively.

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Sensor Comparison

Normally, it's difficult to envision the gap between sensor measurements simply by going over specs. The photograph here may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS5 and K-500.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS5 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Pentax K-500 will offer you more detail with its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older ZS5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 sensor size comparison

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic ZS5 as a Portrait photography camera
Pentax K-500 as a Portrait photography camera
27
includes face detection focus
manual focus not available
cannot use external flash
MP count low (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
74
focusing manually
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
comes with face detection focusing
saves RAW files
Photography Glossary

Street Comparison

Street photography with Panasonic ZS5
Street photography with Pentax K-500
61
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than others in class (214 grams)
screen does not articulate
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
68
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
saves RAW files
above average ISO range (51,600)
screen is fixed
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic ZS5 Sports photography advice
Pentax K-500 Sports photography advice
31
image stabilization (Optical)
includes tracking autofocus
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,300s)
painfully slow continuous shooting (2.0 frames/s)
MP count low (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
72
maximum shutter speed is high (1/6,000 seconds)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (16 megapixels)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
comes with tracking autofocus
great battery (710 CIPA)
sensor has phase detect AF
low frames per second (6.0 frames/s)
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic ZS5
Travel photography with Pentax K-500
63
lighter than others in class (214g)
built-in flash
rather wide (25mm)
great zoom (300mm)
doesn't have Timelapse recording
MP count low (12 megapixels)
screen isn't selfie friendly
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
67
great battery (710 per charge)
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
flash built-in
screen isn't selfie friendly
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic ZS5 Landscape photography info
Pentax K-500 Landscape photography info
33
rather wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
manual focus not available
cannot swap lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
screen is small (2.7 inch)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
doesn't have Timelapse recording
79
focusing manually
swap lenses (Pentax KAF2 mount)
screen is a decent size (3 inch)
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
sensor resolution is decent (16MP)
nice sensor size (APS-C)
above average ISO range (51,600)
saves RAW files
great battery (710 shots)
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic ZS5 Vlogging details
Pentax K-500 Vlogging details
31
rather wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focus
lighter than others in class (214g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.3)
screen isn't selfie friendly
low quality video (1280 x 720 pixels)
doesn't have external microphone support
30
built in image stabilization (Sensor based)
comes with face detection focusing
video resolution high (1920 x 1080 resolution)
screen isn't selfie friendly
no external microphone socket
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Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax K-500 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic ZS5 and Pentax K-500
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5Pentax K-500
General Information
Company Panasonic Pentax
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 Pentax K-500
Also referred to as Lumix DMC-TZ8 -
Category Small Sensor Superzoom Entry-Level DSLR
Revealed 2010-06-16 2013-11-27
Physical type Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Powered by Venus Engine HD II PRIME M
Sensor type CCD CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.08 x 4.56mm 23.7 x 15.7mm
Sensor area 27.7mm² 372.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 16 megapixels
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 4928 x 3264
Max native ISO 6400 51600
Min native ISO 80 100
RAW support
Autofocusing
Manual focus
AF touch
AF continuous
AF single
AF tracking
Selective AF
AF center weighted
Multi area AF
AF live view
Face detection AF
Contract detection AF
Phase detection AF
Number of focus points 11 11
Cross focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens Pentax KAF2
Lens focal range 25-300mm (12.0x) -
Max aperture f/3.3-4.9 -
Macro focus distance 3cm -
Number of lenses - 151
Focal length multiplier 5.9 1.5
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 2.7" 3"
Resolution of screen 230 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Screen tech - TFT LCD monitor with brightness/color adjustment and AR coating
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentaprism)
Viewfinder coverage - 100%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.61x
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 secs 30 secs
Maximum shutter speed 1/1300 secs 1/6000 secs
Continuous shooting rate 2.0 frames/s 6.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Expose Manually
Exposure compensation Yes Yes
Set WB
Image stabilization
Built-in flash
Flash range 5.30 m 12.00 m (at ISO 100)
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync, Slow Sync+Redeye, Trailing Curtain Sync, Wireless
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Maximum flash synchronize - 1/180 secs
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (30,25,24 fps), 1280 x 720 (60,50,30,25,24 fps), 640 x 424 (30,25,24 fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None Optional
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 214g (0.47 lb) 646g (1.42 lb)
Physical dimensions 103 x 60 x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") 130 x 97 x 71mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 2.8")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested 79
DXO Color Depth score not tested 23.7
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 13.1
DXO Low light score not tested 1087
Other
Battery life - 710 pictures
Form of battery - AA
Battery model - 4 x AA
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes ( 2 or 12 seconds)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC
Card slots 1 1
Launch price $300 $600