Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A230

Its time to look a bit more closely at the Panasonic ZS80 versus Sony A230, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS80 (20MP) and A230 (10MP) and the ZS80 (1/2.3") and A230 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

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The ZS80 was introduced 8 years later than the A230 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera and the Sony A230 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick summation of how the ZS80 grades vs the A230 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A230. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery and Sony A230 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS80 features exterior dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Sony A230 has sizing of 128mm x 97mm x 68mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.7") having a weight of 490 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS80 versus Sony A230 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the ZS80 vs the A230.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS80 and A230 is 86 and 69 respectively.

More often than not, its hard to envision the difference between sensor sizing simply by going over specs. The photograph here will give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS80 and A230.

All in all, each of the cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS80 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic ZS80 will offer more detail using its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots a little more aggressively. The younger ZS80 will have an advantage when it comes to sensor innovation.