Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A7 III

Following is a complete comparison of the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A7 III, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a considerable gap among the resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and A7 III (24MP) and the ZS5 (1/2.3") and A7 III (Full frame) offer different sensor sizing.

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

The ZS5 was released 8 years earlier than the A7 III which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7 III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a simple view of how the ZS5 grades versus the A7 III for portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 & Sony Alpha A7 III. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery & Sony A7 III Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you will want to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS5 provides exterior measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Sony A7 III has specifications of 127mm x 96mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.9") accompanied by a weight of 650 grams (1.43 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A7 III in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the ZS5 compared to the A7 III.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS5 and A7 III is 92 and 63 respectively.

Normally, it is very hard to imagine the contrast in sensor sizes only by seeing a spec sheet. The image below will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS5 and A7 III.

As you can see, each of the cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS5 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A7 III will show more detail as a result of its extra 12MP. Greater resolution will let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged ZS5 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.