Nikon S30 vs Panasonic ZS5

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Nikon S30 and Panasonic ZS5, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Nikon and Panasonic. The image resolution of the S30 (10MP) and the ZS5 (12MP) is very comparable but the S30 (1/3") and ZS5 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizing.

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The S30 was brought out 20 months later than the ZS5 making them a generation apart from one another. Both cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting into a more detailed comparison, here is a brief summation of how the S30 grades versus the ZS5 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Nikon Coolpix S30 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The entire galleries are viewable at Nikon S30 Gallery and Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to lug around your camera often, you should take into account its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S30 offers outside dimensions of 102mm x 65mm x 40mm (4.0" x 2.6" x 1.6") accompanied by a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Check the Nikon S30 and Panasonic ZS5 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the S30 and the ZS5.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S30 and ZS5 is 90 and 92 respectively.

Typically, its tough to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by going through a spec sheet. The photograph here will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the S30 and ZS5.

Clearly, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The S30 featuring a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF more challenging and the Panasonic ZS5 will provide extra detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will help you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The fresher S30 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor technology.