Panasonic ZS5 vs Sony RX10

Below, we will be comparing the Panasonic ZS5 and Sony RX10, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a crucial gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZS5 (12MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the ZS5 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") possess different sensor sizes.

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The ZS5 was revealed 4 years prior to the RX10 which is quite a serious gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS5 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving through a full comparison, below is a simple overview of how the ZS5 scores vs the RX10 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZS5 Gallery and Sony RX10 Gallery.

When you are aiming to carry around your camera regularly, you are going to need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS5 features external dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 214 grams (0.47 lbs) and the Sony RX10 has proportions of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") and a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS5 and Sony RX10 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is the front view measurement comparison of the ZS5 vs the RX10.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS5 and RX10 is 92 and 58 respectively.

Normally, it's tough to visualize the gap between sensor sizes only by looking at technical specs. The pic underneath may give you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZS5 and RX10.

As you can tell, both the cameras posses different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The ZS5 having a tinier sensor is going to make shooting bokeh trickier and the Sony RX10 will give you extra detail because of its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The more aged ZS5 is going to be behind in sensor tech.