Canon SD980 IS vs Panasonic ZS30

Its time to look more closely at the Canon SD980 IS and Panasonic ZS30, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Canon and Panasonic. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the SD980 IS (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SD980 IS was unveiled 4 years prior to the ZS30 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a short summation of how the SD980 IS matches up against the ZS30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot SD980 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The full galleries are viewable at Canon SD980 IS Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and measurements. The Canon SD980 IS offers exterior measurements of 100mm x 53mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.1" x 0.9") having a weight of 150 grams (0.33 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS30 has proportions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon SD980 IS and Panasonic ZS30 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you choose at that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the SD980 IS versus the ZS30.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SD980 IS and ZS30 is 95 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading a spec sheet. The picture here will help provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the SD980 IS and ZS30.

As you can see, both of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit different resolution. You should count on the Panasonic ZS30 to offer greater detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The more aged SD980 IS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.