Panasonic ZS40 vs Samsung SL820

Here is a in-depth assessment of the Panasonic ZS40 versus Samsung SL820, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Samsung. There exists a huge gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS40 (18MP) and SL820 (12MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The ZS40 was brought out 4 years later than the SL820 and that is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the ZS40 matches up vs the SL820 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Samsung SL820. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery and Samsung SL820 Gallery.

For those who are looking to carry your camera, you're going to have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS40 has external measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") with a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) while the Samsung SL820 has dimensions of 95mm x 59mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 168 grams (0.37 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS40 versus Samsung SL820 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the ZS40 compared to the SL820.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS40 and SL820 is 90 and 94 respectively.

Normally, its difficult to see the difference between sensor sizing only by looking at a spec sheet. The graphic below should give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS40 and SL820.

Clearly, both of those cameras come with the identical sensor size albeit not the same megapixels. You should count on the Panasonic ZS40 to give more detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also let you crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The fresher ZS40 is going to have an edge in sensor technology.