Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony S980

Here, we are comparing the Panasonic ZS200 versus Sony S980, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS200 (20MP) and S980 (12MP) and the ZS200 (1") and S980 (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor size.

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The ZS200 was unveiled 9 years later than the S980 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a thorough comparison, here is a simple overview of how the ZS200 matches up vs the S980 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZS200 Gallery and Sony S980 Gallery.

When you are going to carry your camera, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS200 provides outer measurements of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") along with a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs) and the Sony S980 has proportions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS200 versus Sony S980 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the ZS200 compared to the S980.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS200 and S980 is 86 and 94 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing merely by reading technical specs. The photograph below will give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS200 and S980.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS200 having a larger sensor will make shooting shallow DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS200 will deliver extra detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more recent ZS200 will have an edge in sensor technology.