Panasonic FZ80 vs Panasonic ZS100

Below, we will be matching up the Panasonic FZ80 vs Panasonic ZS100, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact and both are designed by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the FZ80 (18MP) and the ZS100 (20MP) is pretty well matched but the FZ80 (1/2.3") and ZS100 (1") possess different sensor measurements.

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The FZ80 was unveiled 13 months after the ZS100 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FZ80 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting in to a detailed comparison, below is a short overview of how the FZ80 scores versus the ZS100 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ80 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ80 Gallery and Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera frequently, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FZ80 features exterior measurements of 130mm x 94mm x 119mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.7") accompanied by a weight of 616 grams (1.36 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS100 has measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ80 vs Panasonic ZS100 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Here is the front view dimension comparison of the FZ80 and the ZS100.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the FZ80 and ZS100 is 63 and 87 respectively.

In many cases, its tough to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions simply by reading through a spec sheet. The pic underneath may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ80 and ZS100.

As you can see, both of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FZ80 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic ZS100 will resolve more detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The newer FZ80 should have an edge in sensor technology.