Panasonic ZS35 vs Sony A9

In this article, we will be contrasting the Panasonic ZS35 versus Sony A9, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS35 (16MP) and A9 (24MP) and the ZS35 (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) possess different sensor size.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The ZS35 was brought out 4 years earlier than the A9 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS35 being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving in to a thorough comparison, below is a short highlight of how the ZS35 scores vs the A9 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35 & Sony Alpha A9. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS35 Gallery & Sony A9 Gallery.

In case you're going to lug around your camera, you will want to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS35 has physical measurements of 107mm x 62mm x 32mm (4.2" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 305 grams (0.67 lbs) while the Sony A9 has proportions of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") along with a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZS35 versus Sony A9 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the ZS35 vs the A9.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the ZS35 and A9 is 89 and 65 respectively.

Often, it's hard to visualize the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through specs. The graphic below should offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS35 and A9.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS35 because of its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Sony A9 will provide greater detail having its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The older ZS35 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.