Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony A380

Let's look more closely at the Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony A380, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the ZR1 (12MP) and the A380 (14MP) is fairly similar but the ZR1 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) have totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ZR1 was introduced about the same time to the A380 which means that they are of a similar age. Both the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief summary of how the ZR1 matches up versus the A380 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic ZR1 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

When you are looking to travel with your camera, you should take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZR1 has got outside dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Sony A380 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony A380 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at the time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the ZR1 against the A380.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the ZR1 and A380 is 94 and 68 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions only by going over specifications. The pic underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZR1 and A380.

Plainly, both of those cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZR1 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field harder and the Sony A380 will offer extra detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a bit more aggressively.