Panasonic SZ8 vs Sony HX1

Below, we are contrasting the Panasonic SZ8 and Sony HX1, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the SZ8 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the SZ8 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") feature totally different sensor measurements.

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The SZ8 was manufactured 4 years after the HX1 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic SZ8 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise summation of how the SZ8 grades vs the HX1 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ8 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic SZ8 Gallery and Sony HX1 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic SZ8 comes with physical dimensions of 100mm x 60mm x 27mm (3.9" x 2.4" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony HX1 has specifications of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") with a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic SZ8 and Sony HX1 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at that moment. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the SZ8 compared to the HX1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the SZ8 and HX1 is 94 and 67 respectively.

Generally, it can be tough to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions purely by viewing technical specs. The picture here may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ8 and HX1.

As you can tell, each of the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The SZ8 due to its larger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF easier and the Panasonic SZ8 will result in more detail due to its extra 7 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The younger SZ8 is going to have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.