Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A100

Its time to examine more in depth at the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A100, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the ZS5 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is fairly comparable but the ZS5 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS5 was manufactured 3 years after the A100 which is a fairly serious difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight into a full comparison, below is a simple introduction of how the ZS5 scores versus the A100 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery & Sony A100 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS5 provides outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) while the Sony A100 has proportions of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") along with a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony A100 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Below is the front view over all size comparison of the ZS5 vs the A100.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS5 and A100 is 92 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it's difficult to visualize the gap in sensor sizes purely by going through specs. The image below may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS5 and A100.

All in all, the 2 cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The ZS5 because of its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic ZS5 will produce more detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos far more aggressively. The fresher ZS5 should have a benefit in sensor tech.