Panasonic LZ40 vs Sony S980

Here, we are looking at the Panasonic LZ40 vs Sony S980, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Panasonic and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the sensor resolutions of the LZ40 (20MP) and S980 (12MP) but both cameras posses the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The LZ40 was announced 4 years later than the S980 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic LZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony S980 being a Compact camera.

Before diving into a more detailed comparison, here is a short introduction of how the LZ40 scores vs the S980 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ40 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic LZ40 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic LZ40 provides external measurements of 126mm x 87mm x 94mm (5.0" x 3.4" x 3.7") and a weight of 524 grams (1.16 lbs) while the Sony S980 has proportions of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic LZ40 vs Sony S980 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are utilizing during that time. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the LZ40 vs the S980.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the LZ40 and S980 is 67 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it is difficult to see the contrast in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The photograph here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the LZ40 and S980.

As you have seen, each of these cameras come with the identical sensor size but not the same resolution. You can expect to see the Panasonic LZ40 to render greater detail with its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more recent LZ40 will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.