Panasonic ZS20 vs Sony A7R IV

Here, we will be reviewing the Panasonic ZS20 vs Sony A7R IV, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the image resolutions of the ZS20 (14MP) and A7R IV (61MP) and the ZS20 (1/2.3") and A7R IV (Full frame) boast different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ZS20 was unveiled 8 years before the A7R IV and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7R IV being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving right into a detailed comparison, here is a concise synopsis of how the ZS20 grades vs the A7R IV when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 & Sony Alpha A7R IV. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery & Sony A7R IV Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry your camera often, you have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS20 comes with outer dimensions of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sony A7R IV has measurements of 129mm x 96mm x 78mm (5.1" x 3.8" x 3.1") with a weight of 665 grams (1.47 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS20 vs Sony A7R IV in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the ZS20 versus the A7R IV.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS20 and A7R IV is 92 and 62 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to imagine the difference between sensor sizing merely by looking at technical specs. The photograph here may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS20 and A7R IV.

As you can tell, both of those cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS20 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony A7R IV will give you more detail having an extra 47 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older ZS20 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.