Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony NEX-5

On this page, we are reviewing the Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony NEX-5, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the image resolutions of the ZS200 (20MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the ZS200 (1") and NEX-5 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor sizes.

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The ZS200 was manufactured 7 years later than the NEX-5 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick overview of how the ZS200 scores against the NEX-5 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS200 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera regularly, you'll need to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS200 features 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) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony NEX-5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the ZS200 against the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS200 and NEX-5 is 86 and 89 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to envision the gap in sensor sizing only by going through technical specs. The graphic below will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS200 and NEX-5.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS200 featuring a smaller sensor will make shooting shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic ZS200 will produce extra detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop photos more aggressively. The fresher ZS200 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.