Panasonic ZS200 vs Sony A55: A Detailed Showdown for Photography Enthusiasts

When choosing your next camera, the decision often boils down to your shooting style, priorities, and budget. Today, I’m diving into a somewhat unusual but intriguing face-off between two cameras that serve very different niches but share similar price points - the Panasonic Lumix ZS200 (a large sensor compact zoom) and the Sony SLT-A55 (a vintage-style entry-level DSLR with mirrorless characteristics). Both launched years apart, each has carved out its own loyal user base, and understanding where they shine is crucial if you’re hunting for a reliable, capable shooter around the $800 mark.

Having tested both extensively over the years (and directly compared their capabilities in practical sessions), I’ll walk you through their differences and help you decide which one suits your photography style best. And yes, I personally consider each camera’s quirks and features that only show up with real-world use - not just spec sheet trivia.

Let’s get started with a hands-on comparison from the ground up.

Holding Them: Size and Ergonomics in Your Hands

First impressions do matter, and how a camera feels in your hands often influences how long you’ll want to shoot with it.

The Panasonic ZS200 is a compact powerhouse, designed to slip into your jacket pocket or daybag easily. Its body dimensions of 111 x 66 x 45 mm and weight of 340 grams make it much lighter and less bulky than the older Sony A55, which measures 124 x 92 x 85 mm and weighs in at 500 grams. You immediately notice the ZS200’s scaled-down footprint compared to the chunkier DSLR-style A55.

In terms of ergonomics, the A55 offers a pronounced grip which fits larger hands comfortably, and it provides a lot more physical buttons and dials for quick access - a definite plus if you’re serious about manual control. The ZS200, meanwhile, sacrifices a degree of handling ease for compactness, but retains a decent grip, especially for a fixed-lens camera. The tactile experience on the ZS200 feels smooth, with the benefit of illuminated buttons missing but a useful touchscreen for quick settings and focusing.

In practice, if portability and travel-friendliness are your priority, the ZS200 edges out here. The A55 feels more at home on a tripod or with heavier lenses where balancing matters.

Control Layout and Interface: Handling the Camera

Speaking of controls, the two cameras have very different layouts given their design philosophies.

On top, the Sony A55 offers a more traditional DSLR control scheme with dedicated dials for exposure compensation and shooting modes, along with a dedicated movie record button. This layout gives the A55 the advantage if you prefer direct, tactile manipulation without navigating touchscreen menus.

The Panasonic ZS200 integrates a touchscreen interface, which, while intuitive, lacks a mode dial; instead, it relies on a multi-function dial with modes accessed through rear buttons plus the touchscreen. Lens control rings adjust focal length and focus manually, which is satisfying if you like tactile zooming.

The electronic viewfinders differ greatly. The A55’s EVF has a resolution of 1150k dots at 0.73x magnification which is larger and cozier compared to the ZS200’s 2330k dots EVF but smaller magnification (0.53x). That means while you get a sharper display on the ZS200, the physical eye relief on the A55 is more spacious and comfortable for long shooting sessions.

Both cameras have fixed or fully articulated 3-inch LCDs, but the ZS200’s touchscreen enhances quick focusing and navigation.

The Heart of the Image: Sensor and Image Quality

This is where these cameras really part ways.

The Sony A55 packs a larger APS-C sized CMOS sensor measuring 23.5 x 15.6 mm with 16 megapixels, while the Panasonic ZS200 has a more modest 1-inch MOS sensor at 13.2 x 8.8 mm but with a higher 20-megapixel count.

What does that mean practically?

• The A55’s bigger sensor captures more light, delivering better dynamic range (12.4 EV tested) and superior noise performance at high ISOs, judged by its DxO Mark score of 73 overall.
• The ZS200’s smaller sensor is more limited in dynamic range and low-light ISO sensitivity but compensates with a more modern image processor (Venus Engine) optimized for sharpness and color accuracy.
• The ZS200 supports ISO ranges starting at 125 native up to 12,800 while A55 manages 100–12,800 natively, both expandable to 25,600.

The APS-C sensor in the Sony yields a natural background blur advantage (bokeh), which the ZS200’s smaller sensor struggles to emulate fully - though the Panasonic’s lens does have a 15x optical zoom from 24mm to 360mm equivalent, giving it a versatile focal length range.

If ultimate image quality and noise performance top your list, the A55’s sensor provides a leg up for landscape, portrait, and low-light shooting.

Mirrorless or SLT? Autofocus and Shooting Speed

Despite its DSLR styling, the Sony A55 is a Single Lens Translucent (SLT) camera, using a semi-transparent mirror to feed both the sensor and phase-detection autofocus (PDAF) sensors simultaneously.

The Panasonic ZS200 employs a contrast-detection autofocus system enhanced with face detection, multi-area, and tracking focusing points.

Here’s what hands-on testing reveals:

• The A55’s 15 AF points including 3 cross-type sensors deliver fast, reliable autofocus, especially beneficial for tracking in action or sports.
• Continuous shooting runs at 10 fps on both cameras, with the ZS200 providing silent electronic shutter options up to 1/16,000 sec - handy for discreet shooting.
• The ZS200’s 49 AF points (all contrast-based) perform well in bright light but can struggle slightly in low-contrast or dim conditions versus the A55’s phase-detect system.
• The Panasonic offers focus bracketing, post-focus, and focus stacking which are excellent for macro and creative uses, features not available on the A55.

For wildlife or sports photographers relying on fast and accurate focusing, the Sony holds the advantage; for macro or creative focus-shift workflows, the ZS200’s modern AF tools excel.

Portrait Photography: Capturing Skin Tones and Bokeh

Portrait shooters will appreciate the sensor and lens combination for natural skin tones, background separation, and accurate eye detection.

The Sony A55’s larger sensor naturally creates more background blur, giving portraits a more professional look straight from the camera, especially with bright prime lenses in the Sony/Minolta mount (of which there are 143+ options, many affordable).

The Panasonic ZS200’s fixed zoom lens at F3.3-6.4 max aperture can achieve decent subject isolation at longer focal lengths but generally lacks the creamy bokeh portrait photographers desire. Its face detection autofocus is robust but without eye detection or animal AF (features common in newer models), which means you might find focusing on the eyes less precise than on more recent cameras.

Color rendition on both models is decent, but Panasonic’s Venus Engine tends to produce slightly warmer, more vibrant skin tones, while Sony’s Bionz processor leans toward a neutral palette.

If portraiture is your main interest and you want easy fine bokeh control, the Sony’s system combined with interchangeable lenses is preferable.

Landscape and Outdoor Photography: Dynamic Range and Weather Tolerance

Landscape photographers need resolution, wide dynamic range, and comfortable shooting even in challenging environments.

The larger APS-C sensor of the A55 naturally outperforms the ZS200 when it comes to capturing expansive tonality details in highlights and shadows - critical when photographing sunrise, sunset, or scenes with strong contrasts.

While neither camera is explicitly weather-sealed, the Sony’s bulkier body makes it more stable to attach to tripods and withstand moderate outdoor use. The ZS200’s compact design is more vulnerable to rough weather unless you use protective coverings.

Image resolution favors the Panasonic slightly with 20MP vs 16MP, but the difference won’t drastically impact large prints. However, the Sony’s sensor provides noticeably better tonal gradation.

The ZS200 supports various aspect ratios (1:1, 4:3, 3:2, 16:9), convenient on-the-fly framing options for landscapes.

Wildlife and Sport: Tracking, Burst Rate, and Telephoto Reach

Here’s another clear distinction in usability.

The Panasonic ZS200 has a 24-360mm equivalent 15x zoom, which is a massive advantage for wildlife photographers wanting reach without changing lenses. The built-in optical image stabilization helps hand-held telephoto shooting.

The Sony A55’s APS-C sensor with a 1.5x crop factor leaves you reliant on external lenses for telephoto reach but can use a massive range of Sony Alpha lenses spanning from wide-angle primes to super-telephoto zooms.

Both cameras shoot at 10 fps burst speeds, but the A55’s superior phase-detection autofocus excels better in tracking moving subjects such as runners and birds in flight.

The ZS200’s contrast AF might miss the occasional focus lock under fast, erratic movement but benefits from touch AF for quick subject selection.

For serious wildlife and sports shooters prioritizing autofocus speed and reliability, the Sony is your better bet. If you prefer an all-in-one travel zoom with decent stabilization, the Panasonic may suit low-key versatility needs.

Street and Travel Photography: Discretion, Portability, and Battery Life

Street photographers demand discretion, portability, and reliable low-light performance.

The Panasonic ZS200’s small size and silent electronic shutter let you capture candid moments discreetly. Five-axis stabilization reduces motion blur even at slower shutter speeds. The touchscreen and Wi-Fi/Bluetooth push-sharing features enhance instant creativity.

Sony’s A55 is bulkier and louder with its translucent mirror but sports longer battery life (380 shots vs 370 on ZS200), and the slightly more rugged body feels more dependable for extended outdoor shooting.

While the Sony’s articulated screen is convenient for unconventional angles, the ZS200’s fixed but sharp screen with touch makes quick framing faster.

If you're jetting light and want one camera for urban and travel snapshots, the Panasonic ZS200 blends reach, compactness, and connectivity nicely.

Macro, Night, and Astro Photography: Precision and High ISO Handling

The ZS200 claims a close focusing distance of 5 cm, paired with focus bracketing and stacking modes – practically a macro wizard in a compact body.

The Sony A55 offers no dedicated macro mode but benefits from a wide selection of macro lenses for close-up work.

In night or astro photography, Sony’s larger sensor and better high ISO performance (rated ISO 816 at DxO) mean cleaner, more usable images in dim light. The ZS200’s maximum ISO 12800 works but image noise is more pronounced past 3200 ISO.

Neither camera offers specialized astro modes or long exposure noise reduction out of the box, but both support manual exposure settings.

Video Capabilities: 4K vs Full HD and Audio Connectivity

The Panasonic ZS200 has a clear edge here - capable of 4K UHD recording at 30 fps, including 4K photo mode that enables grabbing high-res stills from video clips. However, it lacks microphone or headphone jacks, meaning audio input is limited.

The Sony A55 offers full HD 1080p video at up to 60 fps with various frame rate options but no 4K. On the plus side, it includes a microphone input for better audio capture.

Neither camera supports in-body image stabilization for video (Zs200 has optical lens stabilization), so handheld video will still benefit from gimbals or steadying gear.

For casual or semi-pro videographers requiring 4K video in a compact form, the Panasonic ZS200 is the clear winner.

Battery, Storage, and Connectivity: How Long and How Easy?

Battery life is similar - approximately 370 shots per charge for the Panasonic and 380 for the Sony, tested in standard shooting conditions.

The A55 uses Sony’s NP-FW50 battery; the ZS200 has a proprietary battery pack (model unspecified). Both support USB charging/data transfer and HDMI output.

Storage-wise, both accept SD cards. The Sony adds support for Memory Stick Pro Duo, giving more flexibility but also more legacy formats to juggle.

Wireless connectivity is more modern on the ZS200, featuring built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for easy remote shooting and fast image transfers. The Sony relies on Eye-Fi card compatibility, which is less convenient by today’s standards.

System and Lens Ecosystem: Expandability and Versatility

The Sony A55’s Alpha lens mount unlocks access to a vast array of lenses from Sony and third-party manufacturers, spanning wide primes, ultras fast telephotos, and specialized glass.

The Panasonic ZS200 has a fixed zoom lens, limiting lens interchangeability but offering convenience hassle-free shooting.

If you are the type who likes to build a versatile kit over time with different lenses, the Sony system is far more future-proof.

Overall Performance and Ratings

Let’s check the overall and genre-specific performance ratings to sum it all up.

Sony A55 ranks higher overall due to sensor size advantages and more versatile body/lens system. However, Panasonic ZS200 shines in compactness, zoom reach, and modern video.

Sample Gallery: Seeing Is Believing

It’s always good to compare actual images, so here are matching shots from both cameras illustrating portrait smoothness, landscape detail, wildlife autofocus, and street candidness.

Panasonic ZS200 front Panasonic ZS200 screen back Sony A55 front Sony A55 screen back

The Verdict: Which One Should You Choose?

Both cameras deliver impressive value but cater to distinct photographer profiles.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix ZS200 if:

• You want a truly pocketable camera with powerful 15x zoom.
• You shoot a lot of travel, street, or casual video with 4K needs.
• You prefer touchscreen controls and built-in wireless features.
• Your shooting style benefits from focus bracketing and stacking macros.
• You prioritize convenience and light carry over ultimate image quality.

Opt for the Sony SLT-A55 if:

• You want the image quality advantages of an APS-C sensor.
• You value fast phase-detect autofocus for sports and wildlife.
• You seek an affordable entry point into a versatile lens ecosystem.
• You shoot portraits demanding precise eye focus and creamy bokeh.
• You prefer traditional DSLR-style controls and longer battery life.

Personal Notes on Testing Experience

Having shot extensively with both cameras, I can vouch that the ZS200 is a modern compact marvel with limitations inherent to smaller sensors. Its silent shooting and touchscreen interactions make it a joy for urban and travel shooters.

The Sony A55, despite its age, remains a robust performer with excellent handling and image quality that rivals or exceeds many contemporary entry-level DSLRs. Its SLT technology offers autofocus capabilities even in the live view and video modes, albeit without 4K video.

Your choice boils down to whether you prefer the modern compact flexibility of the Panasonic or the tried-and-true DSLR approach of the Sony.

Final Thought

Invest in what matches your style and future plans. If you want convenience, zoom, and 4K video, the Panasonic ZS200 is a fantastic all-rounder. If bigger sensor image quality, lens choice, and autofocus performance matter most, consider the Sony A55.

Either way, you’re getting solid cameras around the $800 mark that punch well above their weight class - enjoy the journey of exploration ahead!