Canon SD4000 IS vs Panasonic ZS20

Its time to examine more closely at the Canon SD4000 IS versus Panasonic ZS20, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Canon and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SD4000 IS (10MP) and ZS20 (14MP) but they use the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The SD4000 IS was launched 21 months earlier than the ZS20 making the cameras a generation away from one another. The two cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple overview of how the SD4000 IS matches up against the ZS20 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. The complete galleries are provided at Canon SD4000 IS Gallery & Panasonic ZS20 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry around your camera often, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Canon SD4000 IS features outside measurements of 100mm x 54mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") along with a weight of 175 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS20 has dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs).

Contrast the Canon SD4000 IS versus Panasonic ZS20 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at that time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the SD4000 IS and the ZS20.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SD4000 IS and ZS20 is 94 and 92 respectively.

Normally, its hard to picture the difference between sensor sizes simply by looking at a spec sheet. The picture below might provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the SD4000 IS and ZS20.

As you can see, each of these cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic ZS20 to resolve more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more aged SD4000 IS is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.