Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony NEX-5R

Below is a detailed overview of the Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony NEX-5R, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and NEX-5R (16MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and NEX-5R (APS-C) posses different sensor sizes.

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The ZS1 was revealed 4 years before the NEX-5R and that is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS1 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5R being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving right into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the ZS1 matches up versus the NEX-5R when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 & Sony Alpha NEX-5R. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery & Sony NEX-5R Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera regularly, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS1 has got physical dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5R has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony NEX-5R in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are utilising at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the ZS1 against the NEX-5R.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS1 and NEX-5R is 91 and 89 respectively.

Often, it is difficult to picture the gap between sensor measurements just by looking at specifications. The visual underneath will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS1 and NEX-5R.

Plainly, the two cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS1 having a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF trickier and the Sony NEX-5R will give you greater detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older ZS1 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.