Panasonic ZS30 vs Sony A6500

The following is a extensive overview of the Panasonic ZS30 and Sony A6500, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the ZS30 (18MP) and A6500 (24MP) and the ZS30 (1/2.3") and A6500 (APS-C) offer different sensor size.

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The ZS30 was brought out 4 years prior to the A6500 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera and the Sony A6500 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a complete comparison, here is a brief synopsis of how the ZS30 grades vs the A6500 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30 and Sony Alpha a6500. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS30 Gallery and Sony A6500 Gallery.

In case you're looking to travel with your camera, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS30 has got outside measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") with a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs) whilst the Sony A6500 has measurements of 120mm x 67mm x 53mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 2.1") with a weight of 453 grams (1.00 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS30 and Sony A6500 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Here is a front view overall size comparison of the ZS30 compared to the A6500.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS30 and A6500 is 92 and 81 respectively.

Often, it is hard to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions just by going through a spec sheet. The picture below will give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS30 and A6500.

Clearly, both of those cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS30 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh harder and the Sony A6500 will show more detail having its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The more aged ZS30 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.