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Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5

Portability
93
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23
Canon PowerShot A490 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 front
Portability
92
Imaging
35
Features
30
Overall
33

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Key Specs

Canon A490
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 37-122mm (F3.0-5.8) lens
  • 175g - 94 x 62 x 31mm
  • Revealed January 2010
Panasonic ZS5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-300mm (F3.3-4.9) lens
  • 214g - 103 x 60 x 32mm
  • Launched June 2010
  • Alternate Name is Lumix DMC-TZ8
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Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Overview

Below is a in-depth assessment of the Canon A490 versus Panasonic ZS5, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Canon and Panasonic. The image resolution of the A490 (10MP) and the ZS5 (12MP) is relatively similar and they come with the exact same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The A490 was launched 5 months prior to the ZS5 and they are both of a similar age. Each of these cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a full comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the A490 scores versus the ZS5 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

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Reasons to pick Canon A490 over the Panasonic ZS5

 A490 ZS5 

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS5 over the Canon A490

 ZS5 A490 
Screen dimension2.7"2.5"Bigger screen (+0.2")
Screen resolution230k115kSharper screen (+115k dot)

Common features in the Canon A490 and Panasonic ZS5

 A490 ZS5 
LaunchedJanuary 2010June 2010Similar age
Focus manually Lack of manual focusing
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Absent selfie screen
Touch screen Absent Touch screen

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Physical Comparison

If you're going to lug around your camera, you'll need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Canon A490 offers outer measurements of 94mm x 62mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS5 has proportions of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Check the Canon A490 versus Panasonic ZS5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Below is the front view scale comparison of the A490 versus the ZS5.

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 size comparison

Factoring in size and weight, the portability grade of the A490 and ZS5 is 93 and 92 respectively.

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 top view buttons comparison

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Sensor Comparison

Often, it is very difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements simply by reviewing specifications. The graphic here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the A490 and ZS5.

Plainly, the 2 cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same resolution. You can count on the Panasonic ZS5 to deliver extra detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs much more aggressively.

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 sensor size comparison

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Screen and ViewFinder

Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Portrait photography with Canon A490
Portrait photography with Panasonic ZS5
19
lack of manual focus
lack of manual mode
cannot use external flash
megapixel count low (10MP)
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
27
supports face detect autofocus
no manual focus
external flash not possible
low MP (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
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Street Comparison

Canon A490 Street photography features
Panasonic ZS5 Street photography features
46
no moving screen
no image stabilization
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
61
has image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition in class (214g)
no moving screen
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Canon A490 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic ZS5 as a Sports photography camera
16
max frames per second low (1.0 fps)
lack of shutter priority mode
no image stabilization
megapixel count low (10 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no phase detect autofocus
31
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports tracking focus
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,300 seconds)
low frames per second (2.0 fps)
low MP (12 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Canon A490
Travel photography with Panasonic ZS5
50
built-in flash
no Timelapse mode
megapixel count low (10MP)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
63
lighter than competition in class (214g)
has built in flash
quite wide (25mm)
great zoom (300mm)
lack of Time Lapse recording
low MP (12 megapixels)
does not have selfie friendly display
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Canon A490 as a Landscape photography camera
Panasonic ZS5 as a Landscape photography camera
22
lack of manual focus
can't change lens (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
screen is small (2.5")
lack of manual mode
no image stabilization
megapixel count low (10 megapixels)
small sensor (1/2.3")
has no RAW format
no Timelapse mode
33
quite wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
no manual focus
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
small screen (2.7")
low MP (12MP)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
lacks RAW files
lack of Time Lapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Canon A490
Vlogging with Panasonic ZS5
21
wide angle not fantastic (37mm)
slow max aperture (f3.0)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
no image stabilization
low quality video (640 x 480 resolution)
no microphone socket
31
quite wide (25mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
supports face detect autofocus
lighter than competition in class (214 grams)
sluggish max aperture (f3.3)
does not have selfie friendly display
video res low (1280 x 720 pxls)
lack of mic jack
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Canon A490 vs Panasonic ZS5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Canon A490 and Panasonic ZS5
 Canon PowerShot A490Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5
General Information
Brand Name Canon Panasonic
Model Canon PowerShot A490 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5
Also Known as - Lumix DMC-TZ8
Class Small Sensor Compact Small Sensor Superzoom
Revealed 2010-01-05 2010-06-16
Body design Compact Compact
Sensor Information
Processor - Venus Engine HD II
Sensor type CCD CCD
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.17 x 4.55mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area 28.1mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 10 megapixel 12 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Max resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 1600 6400
Min native ISO 80 80
RAW files
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Autofocus touch
Autofocus continuous
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Autofocus live view
Face detect focus
Contract detect focus
Phase detect focus
Number of focus points 5 11
Lens
Lens mounting type fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 37-122mm (3.3x) 25-300mm (12.0x)
Largest aperture f/3.0-5.8 f/3.3-4.9
Macro focus range 1cm 3cm
Crop factor 5.8 5.9
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display size 2.5" 2.7"
Resolution of display 115 thousand dot 230 thousand dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Min shutter speed 15 seconds 60 seconds
Max shutter speed 1/2000 seconds 1/1300 seconds
Continuous shutter speed 1.0 frames/s 2.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range 3.00 m 5.30 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
Hot shoe
AEB
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 640x480 1280x720
Video data format Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 175 gr (0.39 lbs) 214 gr (0.47 lbs)
Dimensions 94 x 62 x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") 103 x 60 x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery model 2 x AA -
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom, Face) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Storage media SC/SDHC/MMC/MMCplus/HC MMCplus SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots 1 1
Cost at release $99 $300