Canon S120 vs Panasonic ZS45

Below, we are looking at the Canon S120 versus Panasonic ZS45, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by brands Canon and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the S120 (12MP) and ZS45 (16MP) and the S120 (1/1.7") and ZS45 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

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The S120 was released 13 months earlier than the ZS45 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before going through a full comparison, below is a short summary of how the S120 matches up against the ZS45 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot S120 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The complete galleries are provided at Canon S120 Gallery and Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera often, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Canon S120 has physical measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 29mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 217 grams (0.48 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS45 has measurements of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Contrast the Canon S120 versus Panasonic ZS45 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are working with during that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the S120 vs the ZS45.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the S120 and ZS45 is 92 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it can be tough to envision the contrast between sensor dimensions only by looking at a spec sheet. The picture underneath may give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the S120 and ZS45.

As you can see, both cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The S120 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS45 will give more detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more aged S120 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.