Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic LZ40

Here is a comprehensive assessment of the Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic LZ40, one being a Advanced DSLR and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the sensor resolutions of the L1 (7MP) and LZ40 (20MP) and the L1 (Four Thirds) and LZ40 (1/2.3") come with different sensor sizes.

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The L1 was manufactured 7 years earlier than the LZ40 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic L1 being a Mid-size SLR camera and the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going in to a complete comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the L1 matches up vs the LZ40 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-L1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic L1 Gallery and Panasonic LZ40 Gallery.

For those who are intending to carry your camera regularly, you'll have to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic L1 comes with exterior dimensions of 146mm x 87mm x 77mm (5.7" x 3.4" x 3.0") with a weight of 606 grams (1.34 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LZ40 has specifications of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") and a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic L1 vs Panasonic LZ40 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the L1 compared to the LZ40.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the L1 and LZ40 is 65 and 67 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing just by looking at specs. The photograph below will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the L1 and LZ40.

All in all, the 2 cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The L1 featuring a larger sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic LZ40 will resolve greater detail due to its extra 13 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older L1 is going to be behind in sensor tech.