Panasonic ZS30 vs Sony NEX-5N

Its time to look a little more in depth at the Panasonic ZS30 versus Sony NEX-5N, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the ZS30 (18MP) and the NEX-5N (16MP) is fairly close but the ZS30 (1/2.3") and NEX-5N (APS-C) come with different sensor sizes.

Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD Cards

The ZS30 was manufactured 16 months after the NEX-5N making the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a full comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the ZS30 grades versus the NEX-5N when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 and Sony Alpha NEX-5N. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS30 Gallery and Sony NEX-5N Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS30 offers outer measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5N has proportions of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") accompanied by a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS30 versus Sony NEX-5N in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the ZS30 and the NEX-5N.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the ZS30 and NEX-5N is 92 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to imagine the difference in sensor dimensions merely by researching specs. The picture here should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS30 and NEX-5N.

As you can plainly see, the two cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS30 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic ZS30 will provide you with more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop photos a little more aggressively. The newer ZS30 provides an edge in sensor tech.