Canon S200 vs Panasonic XS1

Its time to look a little more closely at the Canon S200 and Panasonic XS1, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by rivals Canon and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap between the resolutions of the S200 (10MP) and XS1 (16MP) and the S200 (1/1.7") and XS1 (1/2.3") have different sensor measurements.

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The S200 was brought out 14 months after the XS1 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the S200 scores versus the XS1 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot S200 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon S200 Gallery and Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll need to take into account its weight and size. The Canon S200 provides outer measurements of 100mm x 59mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 181 grams (0.40 lbs) whilst the Panasonic XS1 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") along with a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Compare the Canon S200 and Panasonic XS1 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you select during that time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the S200 compared to the XS1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S200 and XS1 is 93 and 97 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to imagine the gap between sensor sizes simply by looking at technical specs. The pic here may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the S200 and XS1.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The S200 featuring a larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic XS1 will resolve extra detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The fresher S200 provides an edge when it comes to sensor tech.