Panasonic ZS25 vs Sony NEX-7

In this write-up, we are contrasting the Panasonic ZS25 and Sony NEX-7, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a considerable gap between the resolutions of the ZS25 (16MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the ZS25 (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) use different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The ZS25 was brought out 14 months later than the NEX-7 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS25 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief summation of how the ZS25 matches up versus the NEX-7 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 & Sony Alpha NEX-7. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS25 Gallery & Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to lug around your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS25 has outer measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") having a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-7 has dimensions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") with a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS25 and Sony NEX-7 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the ZS25 against the NEX-7.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS25 and NEX-7 is 93 and 84 respectively.

Quite often, it is difficult to picture the difference between sensor measurements only by checking a spec sheet. The graphic below should offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS25 and NEX-7.

Clearly, both the cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The ZS25 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF harder and the Sony NEX-7 will give greater detail having its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images far more aggressively. The newer ZS25 provides an edge with regard to sensor tech.