Canon A800 vs Panasonic ZS30

On this page, we are looking at the Canon A800 and Panasonic ZS30, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the A800 (10MP) and ZS30 (18MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The A800 was launched 24 months prior to the ZS30 making them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before we go right into a thorough comparison, here is a quick view of how the A800 matches up versus the ZS30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot A800 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The complete galleries are viewable at Canon A800 Gallery & Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

In case you're planning to carry your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and volume. The Canon A800 features exterior measurements of 94mm x 61mm x 31mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 1.2") accompanied by a weight of 186 grams (0.41 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS30 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Canon A800 and Panasonic ZS30 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view physical size comparison of the A800 versus the ZS30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the A800 and ZS30 is 93 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor sizing purely by looking through technical specs. The visual below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the A800 and ZS30.

As you have seen, both of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but different megapixels. You can expect to see the Panasonic ZS30 to render more detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The older A800 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.