Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony HX300

Let's look much closer at the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony HX300, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a sizeable difference among the resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and HX300 (20MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The ZS5 was brought out 3 years prior to the HX300 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise view of how the ZS5 scores versus the HX300 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery and Sony HX300 Gallery.

For anybody who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS5 has physical measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) whilst the Sony HX300 has sizing of 130mm x 103mm x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 623 grams (1.37 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony HX300 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you choose at that moment. Following is a front view dimension comparison of the ZS5 and the HX300.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS5 and HX300 is 92 and 63 respectively.

Often, it is hard to see the gap in sensor sizes purely by researching a spec sheet. The picture underneath should offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS5 and HX300.

As you can see, both of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but not the same resolution. You should anticipate the Sony HX300 to render greater detail having its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a bit more aggressively. The more aged ZS5 will be behind in sensor tech.