Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-5 II

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-5 II, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a noticeable difference among the image resolutions of the ZS7 (12MP) and K-5 II (16MP) and the ZS7 (1/2.3") and K-5 II (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The ZS7 was unveiled 22 months earlier than the K-5 II which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K-5 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving through a thorough comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the ZS7 matches up vs the K-5 II when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 & Pentax K-5 II. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery & Pentax K-5 II Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera often, you'll need to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS7 comes with exterior dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) whilst the Pentax K-5 II has sizing of 131mm x 97mm x 73mm (5.2" x 3.8" x 2.9") along with a weight of 760 grams (1.68 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax K-5 II in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you choose at the time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the ZS7 against the K-5 II.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS7 and K-5 II is 91 and 60 respectively.

Often, it is tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The image below might provide you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS7 and K-5 II.

All in all, both of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS7 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax K-5 II will produce extra detail having an extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively. The more aged ZS7 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.