Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony QX30

Panasonic ZS80 vs Sony QX30: A Detailed Showdown of Compact Superzooms

When it comes to compact superzoom cameras, the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 and Sony Cyber-shot QX30 both promise an impressive 30x zoom range packed into small bodies. Yet, beneath that similarity lies two very different approaches in design, user experience, and photographic capability. Having spent extensive hands-on time with both - in the studio and out in the wild - I'll share all the nuances to help you decide which suits your photographic ambitions best.

Let’s begin with an overarching look at the cameras’ physical and ergonomic design, a foundational consideration because handling affects every shot you take.

Size and Handling - How Do They Feel in Your Hands?

The Panasonic ZS80 is a compact yet thoughtfully designed camera, measuring roughly 112x69x42 mm and tipping the scales at 327 grams. Compare that with the Sony QX30’s notably smaller, lens-cylinder form factor at 68x65x58 mm and 193 grams. The QX30 doesn’t have a traditional camera body at all - it’s essentially a lens-style camera designed to pair with a smartphone for control and viewing.

If you prefer a self-contained unit you can operate without packing a phone, the ZS80 clearly offers a more ergonomic grip and standard camera experience with dedicated controls. The QX30, by contrast, is ultra-portable and excellent as a lightweight add-on for smartphone shooters wanting a longer zoom. However, its all-lens design with no built-in screen or viewfinder means you must tether it wirelessly to a phone for frame composition.

From a usability perspective, the ZS80’s traditional body with ample buttons, a substantial grip, and a tilting screen feels more like a classic compact camera. The QX30 trades that for minimalism and portability but at the expense of direct control and immediate feedback.

Control Layout: Traditional Buttons vs Smartphone Integration

This naturally leads us to the control schemes. Panasonic sticks to a familiar interface on the ZS80, including a 3-inch tilting touchscreen (1040k dots resolution) and an electronic viewfinder (EVF) at 2330k dots covering 100% of the frame.

The ZS80’s top panel sportily arranges the shutter release, zoom rocker, and mode dial, making it easy to tweak settings on the fly. You’ll find manual exposure modes, focus bracketing, and post-focus options within easy reach. The EVF is particularly useful for outdoor shooting in bright light where the rear LCD can be washed out.

By contrast, the QX30 lacks a built-in screen or viewfinder since it was designed as a lens module to operate through the companion app on your smartphone. This means all framing and settings are managed via touch controls on your mobile device, which could be cumbersome depending on how steady you can hold both devices or the latency of the wireless connection.

If you value direct, tactile controls and an always-on display, Panasonic has the clear advantage here. The QX30's approach is innovative but trades instant feedback for portability.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

Both cameras employ a 1/2.3-inch type BSI-CMOS sensor with approximately 20 megapixels resolution (5184 x 3888). This sensor size is typical of compact superzooms - small compared to larger mirrorless cameras - so some compromises on noise and dynamic range are expected.

The Panasonic’s Venus Engine processor complements the sensor well, producing clean images with reasonable dynamic range up to ISO 800. I found that it manages color depth effectively and retains highlight details better than most in this class. Importantly, the ZS80 supports RAW shooting, giving you flexibility in post-processing - a notable advantage for enthusiasts and pros used to adjusting exposure and color after capture.

Sony’s QX30 sensor, paired with a Bionz X processor common to some of Sony’s compact cameras, produces decent JPEGs with respectable color fidelity across the zoom range but no RAW support. In testing, its noise performance is slightly less refined at higher ISO, and dynamic range is more limited. JPEG files tend to be more tightly processed with less post-editing latitude.

For photographers who prioritize maximum image quality and editing versatility from a compact zoom, the ZS80 stands out. RAW support coupled with the Venus Engine’s nuanced image processing makes a difference, especially in challenging light.

Autofocus Performance: Speed and Accuracy in Action

Autofocus is often the bottleneck in superzoom compacts. The Panasonic ZS80 uses a contrast-detection AF system with face and eye detection and supports continuous autofocus and tracking modes as well as touch-to-focus on the LCD. This hybrid, contrast-based system doesn’t match phase-detection AF in speed, but in real-world use, the ZS80 delivers reliable subject acquisition and maintains focus well, particularly in good lighting.

The Sony QX30, although it features contrast-detection AF with face detection, lacks continuous autofocus and tracking. Focus acquisition is slower, especially at telephoto focal lengths. As you’d expect from a design where the camera is controlled remotely via a smartphone app, there is occasionally some lag and hesitation.

For wildlife or action photographers, neither camera competes with APS-C or full-frame mirrorless autofocus systems, but for casual telephoto shooting, the Panasonic’s AF system is more usable and flexible.

Zoom Lens Capabilities: Comparing Reach and Aperture Variations

Both cameras sport a 24-720 mm equivalent zoom (30x optical), which is jaw-dropping for such tiny packages. The big question is how well they perform optically across this range.

The Panasonic ZS80 has a lens with an aperture range of f/3.3–6.4, very slightly brighter than Sony QX30’s f/3.5–6.3. In practice, the difference is negligible. The ZS80’s lens exhibited better edge sharpness, less distortion, and improved contrast, particularly wide-open at the shortest focal lengths. I found the Panasonic’s optical image stabilization effective for mitigating camera shake up to about 400 mm equivalent; past that point, tripod support helps.

Sony’s QX30 stabilization is competent but feels less refined, with a narrower buffer before image degradation due to handshake becomes apparent. At longer telephoto focal lengths, the QX30’s images are softer, and chromatic aberrations become more noticeable in high-contrast conditions.

For versatility and ultimate image quality across that incredible zoom range, Panasonic again leads. That said, the QX30’s zoom still impresses given the tiny sensor and lens size - it’s perfect for casual travel and urban photography.

LCD and Viewfinder Experience: Seeing Your Shot Clearly

Here’s a major difference: The Panasonic ZS80 includes a 3-inch tilting LCD touchscreen with 1040k dots, making it a joy to compose shots from various angles and enabling touch focus/select AF areas. The built-in EVF offers effortless viewing in bright light and adds a degree of professionalism and composure convenience.

The Sony QX30 has no LCD or viewfinder, relying exclusively on your smartphone’s screen for framing and review. While this cuts down size and weight, I found this limiting in bright conditions outdoors - screen glare on phones can be a real nuisance - and also when battery life becomes a concern (more on that shortly).

If you prioritize ease of composition and quick framing feedback, the Panasonic shines here.

Battery Life and Storage: Longevity and Convenience

Battery endurance is a practical consideration for serious shooting. The Panasonic ZS80’s battery life is rated at approximately 380 shots per charge, which aligns with my experience in the field - it’s good but not outstanding. Its USB charging port simplifies top-up without dedicated chargers.

The Sony QX30’s battery life is considerably shorter, about 200 shots, reflecting its smaller battery size and the demands of wireless smartphone operation. Also, the QX30 uses microSD cards while Panasonic uses standard SD cards, which might impact those invested in certain storage media.

Given you might depend on your phone for QX30 operation, battery consumption for both devices compounds. The ZS80, though bulkier, offers longer autonomous shooting before needing recharge or battery swap.

Connectivity and Wireless Features: Smarter or Just Different?

Both cameras include built-in Wi-Fi, but implementations diverge. The Panasonic ZS80 incorporates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, facilitating quick pairing with smartphones for image transfer and remote control via the Lumix Sync app. Bluetooth enables seamless connection wake-ups, a nice touch for speedy sharing.

The Sony QX30 relies on Wi-Fi and NFC for smartphone connection. While NFC simplifies pairing, the lack of Bluetooth makes reconnection less fluid. The app experience felt somewhat less polished and suffered occasional latency, although Sony’s Bionz X image processing does a fine job creating pleasant JPEGs on the fly.

Unified wireless file transfer and remote shooting work well on Panasonic’s side, again underscoring its role as a standalone camera with smartphone accompaniment instead of an accessory lens to a phone like the QX30.

Image Sample Quality: The Moment of Truth

It’s always vital to review actual photos, so here’s a gallery from both cameras across varied scenarios - portrait, landscape, telephoto wildlife, and street environments.

Panasonic ZS80 front Panasonic ZS80 screen back Sony QX30 front Sony QX30 screen back

You’ll notice the Panasonic ZS80’s colors are more natural and consistent; skin tones look flattering with smooth noise handling at higher ISOs, and bokeh from the short telephoto end is reasonably pleasant for compact zoom standards. The sharpness advantage, especially wide open, is clear.

The QX30 images have a slightly warmer color cast and sometimes softer edges, impacted by its more limited processing and no RAW files. Detail preservation diminishes quickly past the 400 mm mark, but it still impresses when handheld casually at moderate zoom lengths.

Genre-Specific Performance: Which Shines Where?

Let’s break down how each camera performs across photography types, based on my testing in various conditions and setups.

• Portraits: Panasonic’s eye detection and manual focus ease produce better skin tone rendition and subject isolation with softer background blur. QX30 lacks autofocus face/eye precision.

• Landscape: Panasonic affords better dynamic range and resolution; the tilting screen and EVF aid composing complex scenes. QX30’s lack of viewfinder hampers usability outdoors.

• Wildlife: Neither camera beats larger models, but Panasonic’s AF tracking and burst shooting (10 fps) perform better for moderate action. QX30’s slower AF and no continuous AF limit effectiveness.

• Sports: Limited for both. Panasonic’s faster shutter max (1/2000s) and burst mode have slight edge; QX30 maxes at 1/1600s.

• Street: QX30’s smaller size and silent operation lend discreetness, but reliance on phone complicates quick shots. Panasonic is bulkier but more ready-to-shoot standalone.

• Macro: Panasonic’s 3 cm close focus lends useful macro detail; QX30 lacks dedicated macro support.

• Night/Astro: Panasonic’s expanded ISO and manual exposure modes allow better night photography options.

• Video: Panasonic records 4K 30p, has image stabilization, and post-focus capabilities; QX30 tops at 1080p 60p with simpler video controls.

• Travel: Panasonic is the more versatile all-in-one option; QX30 excels as ultralight zoom lens adjunct.

• Professional Work: Panasonic’s RAW support, reliable battery life, EVF, and manual controls cater better for pros.

Overall Performance and Value Assessment

After this deep dive, here is a consolidated performance rating summary reflecting image quality, usability, and feature set:

The Panasonic ZS80, launched in early 2018, remains a balanced performer with the right mix of specs and practical usability. Its price (around $448 as of this writing) feels fair given the performance and features.

The Sony QX30, introduced in 2014 for approximately $348, is interesting as a niche product. It is ideal for smartphone enthusiasts wanting modest superzoom reach without carrying a full camera but less appealing as a primary photographic tool.

Final Thoughts: Which Should You Choose?

If your priority is serious photography with a compact superzoom capable of delivering sharp, flexible images across various genres, the Panasonic Lumix ZS80 is the clear recommendation. It provides robust manual controls, RAW capture, an EVF, and effective image stabilization - essential for enthusiasts and professionals demanding quality and control.

Alternatively, the Sony Cyber-shot QX30 serves those prioritizing lightweight convenience and seamless integration with smartphones, with decent image quality when conditions and patience allow. It appeals to casual travelers or smartphone photographers craving more telephoto reach without the bulk of a traditional camera.

Quick Summary Recommendations

• For Photography Enthusiasts & Professionals: Panasonic ZS80 - extensive manual control, high-quality zoom optics, RAW support, and image stabilization.

• For Smartphone Users & Casual Shooters: Sony QX30 - lightweight, easy to pair with phones, great for snapshots and travel zoom without extra camera gear.

• For Video-Focused Hobbyists: Panasonic delivers 4K video with stabilization and touchscreen controls.

• For Budget-Conscious Buyers: Both are comparable; lean Panasonic for overall value and image quality.

I hope this detailed comparison gives you clarity in your decision-making. These cameras, while sharing zoom specs, serve quite different user needs. As someone who’s tested countless compacts over the years, I find the Panasonic ZS80 a more versatile and satisfying tool that balances portability with comprehensive features. The Sony QX30 is a creative concept but one that only fits a narrow niche.

Feel free to reach out with questions or for further hands-on insights into these or similar camera options. Happy shooting!