Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony A850

Its time to examine more in depth at the Panasonic ZS80 and Sony A850, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZS80 (20MP) and the A850 (25MP) is relatively close but the ZS80 (1/2.3") and A850 (Full frame) possess different sensor measurements.

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The ZS80 was introduced 7 years later than the A850 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS80 being a Compact camera and the Sony A850 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before going straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the ZS80 matches up against the A850 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A850. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS80 Gallery & Sony A850 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera regularly, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS80 comes with outer measurements of 112mm x 69mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.7") along with a weight of 327 grams (0.72 lbs) and the Sony A850 has specifications of 156mm x 117mm x 82mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 3.2") having a weight of 895 grams (1.97 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS80 and Sony A850 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is the front view proportions comparison of the ZS80 against the A850.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS80 and A850 is 86 and 54 respectively.

Quite often, it is very difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizing only by researching technical specs. The visual below might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS80 and A850.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS80 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A850 will result in greater detail using its extra 5MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The fresher ZS80 provides an edge in sensor innovation.