Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A9

On this page, we will be analyzing the Panasonic ZS5 versus Sony A9, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and A9 (24MP) and the ZS5 (1/2.3") and A9 (Full frame) have different sensor measurements.

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The ZS5 was revealed 7 years earlier than the A9 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before getting into a detailed comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the ZS5 grades vs the A9 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 and Sony Alpha A9. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery and Sony A9 Gallery.

For anybody who is aiming to travel with your camera often, you will want to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS5 offers outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Sony A9 has measurements of 127mm x 96mm x 63mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.5") accompanied by a weight of 673 grams (1.48 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS5 versus Sony A9 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Below is a front view overall size comparison of the ZS5 versus the A9.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS5 and A9 is 92 and 65 respectively.

Quite often, it's difficult to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions simply by viewing specifications. The image here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS5 and A9.

Plainly, each of these cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS5 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony A9 will provide you with more detail because of its extra 12MP. Higher resolution will also help you crop shots more aggressively. The more aged ZS5 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.