Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-01

Its time to look a little more closely at the Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-01, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There exists a sizable gap between the resolutions of the ZS7 (12MP) and K-01 (16MP) and the ZS7 (1/2.3") and K-01 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS7 was manufactured 10 months before the K-01 which means that they are of a similar age. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-01 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the ZS7 scores against the K-01 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 & Pentax K-01. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery & Pentax K-01 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS7 has external dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-01 has specifications of 122mm x 79mm x 58mm (4.8" x 3.1" x 2.3") and a weight of 561 grams (1.24 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-01 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view physical size comparison of the ZS7 compared to the K-01.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS7 and K-01 is 91 and 76 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to visualise the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading through technical specs. The pic below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS7 and K-01.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS7 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Pentax K-01 will give you greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop images way more aggressively. The more aged ZS7 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.