Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A500

Here is a comprehensive analysis of the Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A500, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the ZS80 (20MP) and A500 (12MP) and the ZS80 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS80 was unveiled 8 years later than the A500 and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a full comparison, below is a concise summary of how the ZS80 grades against the A500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS80 comes with external measurements of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has measurements of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A500 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen during that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the ZS80 vs the A500.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS80 and A500 is 86 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to picture the gap between sensor sizing just by reading through specifications. The photograph here should offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS80 and A500.

Plainly, the two cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS80 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Panasonic ZS80 will give extra detail having an extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos much more aggressively. The more recent ZS80 provides an edge in sensor tech.