Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S2

Lets examine more closely at the Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S2, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS50 (12MP) and K-S2 (20MP) and the ZS50 (1/2.3") and K-S2 (APS-C) feature different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The ZS50 was revealed within a month of the K-S2 and they are of a similar generation. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-S2 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the ZS50 grades against the K-S2 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 and Pentax K-S2. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS50 Gallery and Pentax K-S2 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry around your camera regularly, you need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS50 offers exterior measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") along with a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs) and the Pentax K-S2 has dimensions of 123mm x 91mm x 73mm (4.8" x 3.6" x 2.9") along with a weight of 678 grams (1.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S2 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilising at that time. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the ZS50 compared to the K-S2.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS50 and K-S2 is 90 and 64 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to picture the gap between sensor sizes simply by reading through technical specs. The image underneath will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS50 and K-S2.

As you have seen, both of those cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The ZS50 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Pentax K-S2 will give extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively.