Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony HX5

The following is a extensive assessment of the Panasonic ZS200 versus Sony HX5, former is a Large Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizable gap between the resolutions of the ZS200 (20MP) and HX5 (10MP) and the ZS200 (1") and HX5 (1/2.4") provide different sensor measurements.

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The ZS200 was manufactured 7 years after the HX5 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony HX5 being a Compact camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the ZS200 scores against the HX5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS200 Gallery & Sony HX5 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera often, you have to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS200 provides exterior dimensions of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs) while the Sony HX5 has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS200 versus Sony HX5 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. Following is a front view scale comparison of the ZS200 versus the HX5.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS200 and HX5 is 86 and 92 respectively.

Normally, it is very tough to imagine the gap between sensor dimensions merely by checking specifications. The pic below should provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS200 and HX5.

Plainly, both of those cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZS200 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic ZS200 will resolve greater detail due to its extra 10MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more modern ZS200 should have an edge with regard to sensor technology.