Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony A200

Lets look more closely at the Panasonic ZR1 and Sony A200, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZR1 (12MP) and the A200 (10MP) is fairly well matched but the ZR1 (1/2.3") and A200 (APS-C) offer different sensor size.

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The ZR1 was released 13 months after the A200 making them a generation away from one another. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A200 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the ZR1 matches up versus the A200 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A200. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZR1 Gallery and Sony A200 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZR1 has got external measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony A200 has sizing of 131mm x 99mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 2.8") with a weight of 572 grams (1.26 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZR1 and Sony A200 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at the time. Following is a front view size comparison of the ZR1 versus the A200.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZR1 and A200 is 94 and 66 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to picture the difference between sensor sizes merely by checking a spec sheet. The pic here might offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the ZR1 and A200.

As you can see, both of the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZR1 because of its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Panasonic ZR1 will give extra detail as a result of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images more aggressively. The more recent ZR1 provides a benefit with regard to sensor technology.