Panasonic ZS20 vs Sony A330

Below, we are analyzing the Panasonic ZS20 and Sony A330, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS20 (14MP) and A330 (10MP) and the ZS20 (1/2.3") and A330 (APS-C) feature different sensor measurements.

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The ZS20 was brought out 2 years later than the A330 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A330 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a thorough comparison, below is a quick synopsis of how the ZS20 matches up vs the A330 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A330. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery and Sony A330 Gallery.

In case you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you are going to need to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS20 comes with outside measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) whilst the Sony A330 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 529 grams (1.17 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic ZS20 and Sony A330 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are working with at that time. Here is the front view measurements comparison of the ZS20 versus the A330.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the ZS20 and A330 is 92 and 67 respectively.

Generally, it's difficult to visualize the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over a spec sheet. The graphic here should provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS20 and A330.

Clearly, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS20 due to its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF trickier and the Panasonic ZS20 will offer you greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The younger ZS20 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.