Panasonic ZS5 vs Pentax VS20

Here is a comprehensive assessment of the Panasonic ZS5 and Pentax VS20, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by companies Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and VS20 (16MP) but they use the exact same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The ZS5 was announced 19 months before the VS20 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the ZS5 matches up against the VS20 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 and Pentax Optio VS20. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery and Pentax VS20 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS5 offers exterior measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Pentax VS20 has measurements of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") having a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS5 and Pentax VS20 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the ZS5 compared to the VS20.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS5 and VS20 is 92 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it's tough to picture the gap between sensor sizing purely by looking at specs. The visual here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS5 and VS20.

All in all, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different megapixels. You should anticipate the Pentax VS20 to give more detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics much more aggressively. The older ZS5 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor technology.