Panasonic S1 vs Panasonic ZS5

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic S1 and Panasonic ZS5, former is a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are produced by Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the S1 (24MP) and ZS5 (12MP) and the S1 (Full frame) and ZS5 (1/2.3") provide different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The S1 was launched 8 years after the ZS5 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a full comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the S1 scores versus the ZS5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic S1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS5 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic S1 provides physical measurements of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") with a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS5 has specifications of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic S1 and Panasonic ZS5 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the S1 against the ZS5.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the S1 and ZS5 is 54 and 92 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to visualize the contrast in sensor sizes only by viewing specifications. The image underneath should give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the S1 and ZS5.

Plainly, each of the cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The S1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic S1 will provide you with greater detail utilizing its extra 12 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The newer S1 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.