Panasonic ZS50 vs Sony A290

Below is a thorough analysis of the Panasonic ZS50 vs Sony A290, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZS50 (12MP) and the A290 (14MP) is fairly similar but the ZS50 (1/2.3") and A290 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS50 was unveiled 4 years later than the A290 and that is quite a big difference as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera and the Sony A290 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the ZS50 scores against the A290 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A290. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS50 Gallery & Sony A290 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS50 enjoys exterior measurements of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") having a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs) whilst the Sony A290 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") and a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS50 vs Sony A290 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilising at that moment. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the ZS50 vs the A290.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZS50 and A290 is 90 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, its hard to visualise the gap between sensor measurements purely by reviewing a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS50 and A290.

Clearly, both of these cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The ZS50 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A290 will offer more detail having an extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more recent ZS50 is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.