Canon SX120 IS vs Panasonic XS1

Here is a complete review of the Canon SX120 IS and Panasonic XS1, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Canon and Panasonic. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the SX120 IS (10MP) and XS1 (16MP) and the SX120 IS (1/2.5") and XS1 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The SX120 IS was launched 4 years before the XS1 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before delving straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a simple summation of how the SX120 IS scores vs the XS1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Canon PowerShot SX120 IS & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The complete galleries are available at Canon SX120 IS Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to think about its weight and volume. The Canon SX120 IS comes with exterior measurements of 111mm x 71mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.8") and a weight of 285 grams (0.63 lbs) and the Panasonic XS1 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") having a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX120 IS and Panasonic XS1 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are employing at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the SX120 IS against the XS1.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SX120 IS and XS1 is 87 and 97 respectively.

More often than not, it is very difficult to picture the contrast in sensor sizing purely by seeing specifications. The visual underneath will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SX120 IS and XS1.

To sum up, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SX120 IS featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic XS1 will show more detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older SX120 IS will be behind in sensor tech.