Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony HX20V

The following is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony HX20V, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS1 (10MP) and HX20V (18MP) and the ZS1 (1/2.5") and HX20V (1/2.3") offer totally different sensor measurements.

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The ZS1 was brought out 4 years prior to the HX20V which is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before diving right into a thorough comparison, here is a concise summary of how the ZS1 scores vs the HX20V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS1 Gallery and Sony HX20V Gallery.

If you're planning to travel with your camera, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS1 has outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony HX20V has measurements of 107mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.4") having a weight of 254 grams (0.56 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony HX20V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you have attached at the time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the ZS1 vs the HX20V.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the ZS1 and HX20V is 91 and 90 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is difficult to visualise the contrast in sensor dimensions only by going through specifications. The image below will help provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS1 and HX20V.

To sum up, the 2 cameras have different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ZS1 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower depth of field tougher and the Sony HX20V will provide extra detail having its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The more aged ZS1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.