Panasonic LZ20 vs Panasonic S1

The following is a extensive comparison of the Panasonic LZ20 and Panasonic S1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both manufactured by Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the LZ20 (16MP) and S1 (12MP) but they possess the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The LZ20 was announced 19 months after the S1 making the cameras a generation away from one another. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic LZ20 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic S1 being a Compact camera.

Before going straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick view of how the LZ20 matches up vs the S1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S1. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic LZ20 Gallery and Panasonic S1 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you have to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic LZ20 provides outside dimensions of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") and a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic S1 has specifications of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Check the Panasonic LZ20 and Panasonic S1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you choose at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the LZ20 against the S1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the LZ20 and S1 is 71 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it is difficult to imagine the gap in sensor dimensions simply by researching a spec sheet. The picture here will provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the LZ20 and S1.

As you can see, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing but different resolution. You should expect to see the Panasonic LZ20 to result in extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images far more aggressively. The younger LZ20 should have an advantage in sensor technology.