Panasonic ZS20 vs Sony NEX-7

Below is a comprehensive comparison of the Panasonic ZS20 versus Sony NEX-7, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap between the image resolutions of the ZS20 (14MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the ZS20 (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ZS20 was announced 5 months later than the NEX-7 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS20 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving through a in depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the ZS20 matches up vs the NEX-7 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS20 Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

When you are intending to lug around your camera, you are going to need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS20 features outer measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 206 grams (0.45 lbs) while the Sony NEX-7 has measurements of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS20 versus Sony NEX-7 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the ZS20 and the NEX-7.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS20 and NEX-7 is 92 and 84 respectively.

More often than not, it's hard to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by reading a spec sheet. The visual underneath may give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS20 and NEX-7.

As you can see, both of the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS20 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony NEX-7 will offer you greater detail with its extra 10MP. Greater resolution can also help you crop pics far more aggressively.