Canon S120 vs Panasonic ZS20

The following is a in depth assessment of the Canon S120 and Panasonic ZS20, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Canon and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the S120 (12MP) and the ZS20 (14MP) is relatively similar but the S120 (1/1.7") and ZS20 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

Mastering Nature Photography with a Digital Microscope Camera

The S120 was manufactured 20 months after the ZS20 which makes the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before going straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the S120 matches up against the ZS20 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot S120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon S120 Gallery and Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

In case you're intending to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Canon S120 comes with outer measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 217 grams (0.48 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has sizing of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") along with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Examine the Canon S120 and Panasonic ZS20 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the S120 vs the ZS20.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S120 and ZS20 is 92 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to see the difference between sensor dimensions just by going over specs. The image below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the S120 and ZS20.

All in all, both of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The S120 featuring a bigger sensor will make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS20 will offer greater detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop shots far more aggressively. The more modern S120 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.