Panasonic ZS8 vs Pentax Q

Its time to take a deeper look at the Panasonic ZS8 versus Pentax Q, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. The image resolution of the ZS8 (14MP) and the Q (12MP) is relatively close and both cameras posses the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The ZS8 was released very close to the Q so they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera and the Pentax Q being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the ZS8 scores against the Q with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 & Pentax Q. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS8 Gallery & Pentax Q Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS8 has got outer dimensions of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") having a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs) while the Pentax Q has measurements of 98mm x 57mm x 31mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.2") along with a weight of 180 grams (0.40 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS8 versus Pentax Q in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the ZS8 vs the Q.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS8 and Q is 92 and 93 respectively.

Generally, its hard to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The graphic underneath may give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS8 and Q.

As you can tell, both of the cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You can count on the Panasonic ZS8 to render more detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop shots way more aggressively.