Panasonic ZS25 has a
16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Pentax E70 has a
10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor .
Panasonic ZS25's sensor provides 6MP more than Pentax E70's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the ZS25 and E70 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS25 and Pentax E70 Cameras
Panasonic ZS25 and Pentax E70 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Pentax E70 has 80% larger pixel area (2.78µm 2 vs 1.54µm 2 ) compared to Panasonic ZS25, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Panasonic ZS25
or the
Pentax E70 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
