Nikon A900 vs Panasonic XS1

Lets look more closely at the Nikon A900 and Panasonic XS1, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Nikon and Panasonic. There exists a large gap between the sensor resolutions of the A900 (20MP) and XS1 (16MP) but both cameras have the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The A900 was launched 3 years later than the XS1 and that is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before delving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick summation of how the A900 matches up versus the XS1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix A900 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The complete galleries are available at Nikon A900 Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to lug around your camera, you should factor its weight and proportions. The Nikon A900 has physical measurements of 113mm x 67mm x 40mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.6") having a weight of 289 grams (0.64 lbs) while the Panasonic XS1 has measurements of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") accompanied by a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Check the Nikon A900 and Panasonic XS1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are using at the time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the A900 compared to the XS1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the A900 and XS1 is 88 and 97 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to see the difference between sensor measurements only by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic here will help offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the A900 and XS1.

Clearly, the 2 cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit not the same resolution. You can expect the Nikon A900 to give you extra detail utilizing its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop pictures more aggressively. The fresher A900 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.