Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax 645Z

On this page, we are contrasting the Panasonic ZS7 and Pentax 645Z, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Pro DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a huge gap among the resolutions of the ZS7 (12MP) and 645Z (51MP) and the ZS7 (1/2.3") and 645Z (Medium format) offer different sensor sizing.

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The ZS7 was launched 3 years earlier than the 645Z and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645Z being a Large SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the ZS7 scores against the 645Z when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Pentax 645Z. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery and Pentax 645Z Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS7 enjoys outside measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Pentax 645Z has measurements of 156mm x 117mm x 123mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.8") with a weight of 1550 grams (3.42 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS7 and Pentax 645Z in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the ZS7 against the 645Z.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS7 and 645Z is 91 and 49 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to picture the gap in sensor sizing merely by viewing specifications. The graphic below may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS7 and 645Z.

Plainly, the 2 cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS7 due to its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Pentax 645Z will render greater detail utilizing its extra 39 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics more aggressively. The older ZS7 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.