Panasonic ZS45 vs Sony A99 II

Below, we are looking at the Panasonic ZS45 and Sony A99 II, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the ZS45 (16MP) and A99 II (42MP) and the ZS45 (1/2.3") and A99 II (Full frame) enjoy totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS45 was brought out 20 months before the A99 II making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS45 being a Compact camera and the Sony A99 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick highlight of how the ZS45 scores vs the A99 II in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 and Sony Alpha A99 II. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS45 Gallery and Sony A99 II Gallery.

For anybody who is intending to carry your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS45 enjoys exterior measurements of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs) whilst the Sony A99 II has measurements of 143mm x 104mm x 76mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.0") along with a weight of 849 grams (1.87 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS45 and Sony A99 II in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at that time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the ZS45 against the A99 II.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS45 and A99 II is 91 and 57 respectively.

In many cases, it is tough to see the gap in sensor sizing only by seeing technical specs. The graphic below should offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS45 and A99 II.

As you have seen, both the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS45 due to its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Sony A99 II will show extra detail having its extra 26 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also let you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The older ZS45 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.