Panasonic ZS40 vs Sony NEX-7

In this article, we are analyzing the Panasonic ZS40 vs Sony NEX-7, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the ZS40 (18MP) and NEX-7 (24MP) and the ZS40 (1/2.3") and NEX-7 (APS-C) use totally different sensor size.

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The ZS40 was launched 2 years later than the NEX-7 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS40 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-7 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight into a thorough comparison, below is a quick overview of how the ZS40 scores vs the NEX-7 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS40 and Sony Alpha NEX-7. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic ZS40 Gallery and Sony NEX-7 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera, you will have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS40 provides outer measurements of 111mm x 64mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 240 grams (0.53 lbs) while the Sony NEX-7 has proportions of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 400 grams (0.88 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZS40 vs Sony NEX-7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the ZS40 against the NEX-7.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS40 and NEX-7 is 90 and 84 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to visualise the contrast in sensor measurements just by going through specifications. The photograph underneath will help give you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS40 and NEX-7.

To sum up, both of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZS40 due to its smaller sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony NEX-7 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The more recent ZS40 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.