Panasonic FS42 vs Panasonic ZS1

Its time to take a deeper look at the Panasonic FS42 versus Panasonic ZS1, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the FS42 (10MP) and the ZS1 (10MP) is fairly close and both cameras posses the identical sensor size (1/2.5").

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The FS42 was brought out at a similar time to the ZS1 so they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the FS42 grades vs the ZS1 for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FS42 Gallery & Panasonic ZS1 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera frequently, you need to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FS42 has got exterior measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS1 has sizing of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FS42 versus Panasonic ZS1 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the FS42 compared to the ZS1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the FS42 and ZS1 is 95 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to picture the difference in sensor sizes just by viewing specs. The pic below will provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the FS42 and ZS1.

As you can plainly see, each of the cameras feature the identical sensor size and the exact same MP so you can expect comparable quality of photos however you have to take the age of the cameras into account.