Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony HX7V

Below is a in-depth comparison of the Panasonic ZS100 versus Sony HX7V, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Panasonic and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the image resolutions of the ZS100 (20MP) and HX7V (16MP) and the ZS100 (1") and HX7V (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizing.

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The ZS100 was manufactured 4 years later than the HX7V and that is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Sony HX7V being a Compact camera.

Before going through a in-depth comparison, below is a concise overview of how the ZS100 scores vs the HX7V in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS100 Gallery and Sony HX7V Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS100 features physical dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") and a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs) while the Sony HX7V has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 208 grams (0.46 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS100 versus Sony HX7V in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the ZS100 vs the HX7V.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS100 and HX7V is 87 and 92 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to see the difference between sensor measurements just by going over technical specs. The graphic below may give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS100 and HX7V.

As you have seen, each of the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS100 because of its larger sensor will make achieving shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic ZS100 will deliver greater detail due to its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The younger ZS100 is going to have a benefit in sensor technology.