Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S2

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Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S2

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1/2.3 inch 28.1mm²
12.1 megapixels
24.00mm - 720.00mm (35mm eq.)

Go in depth with our full Panasonic ZS50 Review.

APS-C 366.6mm²
20.1 megapixels
ISO 100 - 51,200

Go in depth with our full Pentax K-S2 Review.
How does it shoot? Pentax K-S2 in the real world.
See real-world photos taken with the K-S2.
Compare Pentax K-S2 image quality against competitors.
What’s the bottom line? Read our Pentax K-S2 conclusion.

Succeeded by the Panasonic ZS60
Compare ZS50 vs ZS60
Compare Panasonic ZS60 vs Pentax K-S2

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Differences

Panasonic ZS50 advantages over Pentax K-S2

In-camera panoramas
Yes vs No
Stitches multiple shots into a panoramic photo
Thinner
34 mm vs 64 mm
Thinner
Longer exposure
60 vs 30 sec
Long exposures for night shots
Faster JPEG shooting
10.0 fps vs 5.2 fps
Faster JPEG shooting (burst mode)
Slow-motion videos
Yes vs No
Shoot slow-motion videos

Pentax K-S2 advantages over Panasonic ZS50

Larger sensor
APS-C vs 1/2.3 inch
More sensor area. Bigger is (generally) better.
Tilt-swivel screen
Tilt-swivel vs none
Tilt and swivel the screen for maximum shooting flexibility
Bigger pixels
~ 4.29 vs 1.54 microns
Better low-light and dynamic range (all else equal)
Longer stills battery life
More info

Longer stills battery life

Cameras with longer battery life can take more photos before exhausting their batteries.

Special note: The measurement standard for battery life stipulates that if a camera has an internal flash, it must be used for 50% of photos taken. For this reason, comparisons of one camera with an internal flash to another without will not be comparable

410 vs 300 shots
Capture more photos
External Mic Jack
Jack vs No jack
Improved sound fidelity when shooting video
Shoots 24p video
Yes vs No
Gives your movies a big-screen feel
Hot shoe
Hot shoe vs None
Off-camera flashes open new possibilities
More viewfinder magnification
0.63x vs 0.46x
Get a bigger view of the scene through the eye-level viewfinder
More pixels
20.1 vs 12.1 megapixels
Higher resolution photos
Bulb shutter
Bulb vs No bulb
Hold the shutter open manually for long exposures
Bigger JPEG buffer
28 vs 6 shots
Take more JPEG shots before waiting (burst mode)
Faster shutter
1/6000 vs 1/2000 sec
Shoot wide open in bright light
Higher extended ISO
51200 vs 6400 ISO
Higher extended ISO can give more low-light flexibility

Similarities

Common Strengths

Rear display
Both provide
Review photos on the back of the camera
Focus peaking
Both provide
Your camera will highlight what's in focus
Eye-level viewfinder
Both provide
You'll be able to frame photos even when the sun is out
In-Camera Image Stabilization
Both provide
Reduces the effects of camera shake at slower shutter speeds
RAW file ability
Both provide
Gives you more flexibility to develop your photos later
Built-in Wi-Fi
Both provide
Share your photos wirelessly
NFC
Both provide
Simplifies pairing your camera with supported phones
Internal flash
Both provide
Useful in a pinch for fill flash
Manual focus
Both provide
AF is for the weak. Real photographers focus manually.
HDMI out
Both provide
Use HDMI output to monitor or review video

Common Weaknesses

Touchscreen
Neither provide
Interact with your camera just like your smartphone
Built-in Bluetooth
Neither provide
Always-on wireless connectivity
Built-in GPS
Neither provide
Geotag your photos
On-sensor phase detect
Neither provide
Usually improves live view and video AF performance
Integrated ND filter
Neither provide
Shoot in daylight with a large aperture or slow shutter
Dual card slots
Neither provide
Gives you more storage flexibility
Headphone jack
Neither provide
Monitor audio recording while you shoot video

User reviews

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Read ZS50 User Reviews

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Adorama
Read K-S2 User Reviews

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Body Only (White)
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Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (Black/Orange)
Kit with 18-50mm WR Lens (White)

All K-S2 Deals

Review Excerpt

We haven’t finished our review of the Panasonic ZS50, but we have extensive sample photos and a hands-on report.
See our Panasonic ZS50 First Shots

Very compact for a weather-sealed DSLR; Good ergonomics and great viewfinder; Excellent image quality; Decent performance for its class; Articulated screen is great for difficult compositions; Offers features not found in other Pentax DSLRs
18-50mm kit lens is fiddly and prone to jamming when retracted; Wi-Fi is slow and unintuitive; Slow startup; Limited movie mode; Poor battery life for a DSLR; Priced too close to its enthusiast-grade sibling
Read our Pentax K-S2 Review

The Competition

Compared to Pentax K-500

Panasonic ZS50

Pentax K-500

$279
1/2.3 inch

In-camera panoramas
Built-in Wi-Fi

$597
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-500

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-500

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$597
APS-C

Less expensive
Longer stills battery life

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-500

Compared to Panasonic ZS40

Panasonic ZS50

Panasonic ZS40

$279
1/2.3 inch

Bigger pixels
Higher effective ISO

$380
1/2.3 inch

Built-in GPS
More pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS50 vs Panasonic ZS40

Pentax K-S2

Panasonic ZS40

$499
APS-C

Larger sensor
Tilt-swivel screen

$380
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Panasonic ZS40

Compared to Panasonic ZS35

Panasonic ZS50

Panasonic ZS35

$279
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$300
1/2.33 inch

Tiltable Screen
More pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS50 vs Panasonic ZS35

Pentax K-S2

Panasonic ZS35

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$300
1/2.33 inch

Less expensive
In-camera panoramas

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Panasonic ZS35

Compared to Canon SX700 HS

Panasonic ZS50

Canon SX700 HS

$279
1/2.3 inch

Focus peaking
Eye-level viewfinder

$329
1/2.3 inch

More pixels
Faster shutter

Compare Panasonic ZS50 vs Canon SX700 HS

Pentax K-S2

Canon SX700 HS

$499
APS-C

Focus peaking
Larger sensor

$329
1/2.3 inch

Less expensive
Thinner

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Canon SX700 HS

Compared to Pentax K-S1

Panasonic ZS50

Pentax K-S1

$279
1/2.3 inch

In-camera panoramas
Built-in Wi-Fi

$502
APS-C

Larger sensor
Bigger pixels

Compare Panasonic ZS50 vs Pentax K-S1

Pentax K-S2

Pentax K-S1

$499
APS-C

Tilt-swivel screen
Built-in Wi-Fi

$502
APS-C

Higher-res screen

Compare Pentax K-S2 vs Pentax K-S1

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