Pentax VS20 vs Sony S980

Let's look a little more in depth at the Pentax VS20 vs Sony S980, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Pentax and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the VS20 (16MP) and S980 (12MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The VS20 was introduced 2 years after the S980 which is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before we go into a in depth comparison, here is a brief overview of how the VS20 scores versus the S980 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Pentax Optio VS20 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are provided at Pentax VS20 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and size. The Pentax VS20 offers physical dimensions of 111mm x 61mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.4" x 1.5") along with a weight of 235 grams (0.52 lbs) whilst the Sony S980 has specifications of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Contrast the Pentax VS20 vs Sony S980 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the VS20 vs the S980.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the VS20 and S980 is 90 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it's hard to visualize the gap in sensor sizes simply by checking out a spec sheet. The picture below should offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the VS20 and S980.

Clearly, each of the cameras come with the identical sensor size but different megapixels. You can expect to see the Pentax VS20 to produce greater detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more modern VS20 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.