Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony NEX-5

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic ZS1 versus Sony NEX-5, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and NEX-5 (14MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and NEX-5 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The ZS1 was brought out 12 months prior to the NEX-5 which means that they are both of a similar generation. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a in depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the ZS1 scores against the NEX-5 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Sony Alpha NEX-5. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera frequently, you are going to need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS1 has got outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony NEX-5 has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS1 versus Sony NEX-5 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you choose during that time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the ZS1 compared to the NEX-5.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and NEX-5 is 91 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizing just by looking through specifications. The graphic here will help offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS1 and NEX-5.

Plainly, the 2 cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS1 because of its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh trickier and the Sony NEX-5 will result in greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images way more aggressively. The older ZS1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.