Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A700

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A700, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the ZS80 (20MP) and A700 (12MP) and the ZS80 (1/2.3") and A700 (APS-C) feature different sensor size.

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The ZS80 was introduced 10 years later than the A700 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a detailed comparison, below is a short overview of how the ZS80 grades versus the A700 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery and Sony A700 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to carry your camera, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS80 provides physical dimensions of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) while the Sony A700 has dimensions of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") with a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A700 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are employing at the time. The following is the front view dimensions comparison of the ZS80 compared to the A700.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS80 and A700 is 86 and 58 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing merely by researching technical specs. The photograph below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS80 and A700.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS80 having a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic ZS80 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images much more aggressively. The newer ZS80 provides a benefit in sensor technology.