Panasonic GX1 vs Panasonic ZS40

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic GX1 versus Panasonic ZS40, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both offered by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the GX1 (16MP) and the ZS40 (18MP) is fairly well matched but the GX1 (Four Thirds) and ZS40 (1/2.3") offer different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The GX1 was released 23 months prior to the ZS40 making them a generation away from one another. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GX1 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera.

Before delving into a complete comparison, here is a concise overview of how the GX1 matches up vs the ZS40 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX1 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic GX1 Gallery & Panasonic ZS40 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic GX1 enjoys external measurements of 116mm x 68mm x 39mm (4.6" x 2.7" x 1.5") with a weight of 318 grams (0.70 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS40 has sizing of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GX1 versus Panasonic ZS40 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you choose at that moment. Underneath is a front view sizing comparison of the GX1 against the ZS40.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GX1 and ZS40 is 87 and 90 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to picture the contrast between sensor sizes purely by checking specifications. The image here may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the GX1 and ZS40.

To sum up, both of the cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The GX1 because of its larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic ZS40 will resolve extra detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images more aggressively. The more aged GX1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.