Panasonic ZS7 vs Pentax S1

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic ZS7 and Pentax S1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Panasonic and Pentax. The resolution of the ZS7 (12MP) and the S1 (14MP) is fairly well matched and they feature the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The ZS7 was manufactured 5 months later than the S1 and they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a brief overview of how the ZS7 scores versus the S1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Pentax Optio S1. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery and Pentax S1 Gallery.

When you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS7 offers outer 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) and the Pentax S1 has specifications of 114mm x 58mm x 28mm (4.5" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 157 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZS7 and Pentax S1 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Underneath is the front view measurement comparison of the ZS7 against the S1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS7 and S1 is 91 and 93 respectively.

Normally, its tough to envision the gap between sensor measurements purely by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS7 and S1.

Clearly, each of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but not the same resolution. You should anticipate the Pentax S1 to give you greater detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics much more aggressively.