Panasonic ZS70 vs Pentax K20D

Here is a detailed assessment of the Panasonic ZS70 vs Pentax K20D, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by brands Panasonic and Pentax. There is a large difference among the resolutions of the ZS70 (20MP) and K20D (15MP) and the ZS70 (1/2.3") and K20D (APS-C) feature different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS70 was unveiled 8 years later than the K20D and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS70 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K20D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the ZS70 matches up vs the K20D when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS70 & Pentax K20D. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS70 Gallery & Pentax K20D Gallery.

When you are intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS70 enjoys external dimensions of 112mm x 67mm x 41mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") along with a weight of 322 grams (0.71 lbs) and the Pentax K20D has dimensions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") with a weight of 800 grams (1.76 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS70 vs Pentax K20D in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the ZS70 vs the K20D.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the ZS70 and K20D is 87 and 59 respectively.

Often, it is tough to visualize the gap in sensor sizing only by researching technical specs. The visual below may offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS70 and K20D.

As you have seen, each of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS70 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic ZS70 will result in more detail having an extra 5MP. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The newer ZS70 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.