Panasonic ZS200 vs Panasonic FS12

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Panasonic ZS200 and Panasonic FS12, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Ultracompact and both are manufactured by Panasonic. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the ZS200 (20MP) and FS12 (12MP) and the ZS200 (1") and FS12 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor sizing.

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The ZS200 was launched 8 years later than the FS12 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the ZS200 scores vs the FS12 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS200 Gallery & Panasonic FS12 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS200 provides external measurements of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs) and the Panasonic FS12 has measurements of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS200 and Panasonic FS12 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you use during that time. Here is a front view dimension comparison of the ZS200 against the FS12.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS200 and FS12 is 86 and 95 respectively.

Generally, its hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements only by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS200 and FS12.

As you can see, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS200 featuring a larger sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic ZS200 will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics a good deal more aggressively. The more modern ZS200 will have a benefit when it comes to sensor innovation.