Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony A37

Here is a extended overview of the Panasonic ZS200 and Sony A37, former being a Large Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the sensor resolutions of the ZS200 (20MP) and A37 (16MP) and the ZS200 (1") and A37 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The ZS200 was announced 5 years later than the A37 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS200 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony A37 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving into a in depth comparison, here is a short introduction of how the ZS200 grades versus the A37 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 & Sony SLT-A37. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic ZS200 Gallery & Sony A37 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS200 has got external dimensions of 111mm x 66mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.8") and a weight of 340 grams (0.75 lbs) and the Sony A37 has dimensions of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") and a weight of 506 grams (1.12 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS200 and Sony A37 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is a front view measurement comparison of the ZS200 against the A37.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS200 and A37 is 86 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to see the gap in sensor sizing purely by viewing technical specs. The visual below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS200 and A37.

As you have seen, each of the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS200 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Panasonic ZS200 will provide you with greater detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images way more aggressively. The newer ZS200 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.