Nikon L820 vs Panasonic ZS50

Let's look a bit more closely at the Nikon L820 and Panasonic ZS50, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by rivals Nikon and Panasonic. There is a significant difference between the resolutions of the L820 (16MP) and ZS50 (12MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The L820 was manufactured 23 months prior to the ZS50 which makes them a generation away from each other. Both cameras feature different body design with the Nikon L820 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera.

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a brief view of how the L820 scores against the ZS50 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Nikon Coolpix L820 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The entire galleries are available at Nikon L820 Gallery and Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

If you are intending to travel with your camera often, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Nikon L820 provides external measurements of 111mm x 76mm x 85mm (4.4" x 3.0" x 3.3") and a weight of 470 grams (1.04 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") along with a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

See the Nikon L820 and Panasonic ZS50 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Following is a front view measurement comparison of the L820 vs the ZS50.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the L820 and ZS50 is 72 and 90 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to see the contrast between sensor dimensions just by looking at a spec sheet. The image here will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the L820 and ZS50.

Clearly, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit not the same resolution. You should expect the Nikon L820 to resolve more detail due to its extra 4MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged L820 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.