Panasonic ZS60 vs Sony A500

Here, we are evaluating the Panasonic ZS60 vs Sony A500, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS60 (18MP) and A500 (12MP) and the ZS60 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor sizes.

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The ZS60 was introduced 6 years after the A500 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS60 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting into a full comparison, here is a brief introduction of how the ZS60 grades versus the A500 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS60 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you are going to need to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS60 offers outside measurements of 112mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.5") and a weight of 282 grams (0.62 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS60 vs Sony A500 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that time. Following is a front view measurements comparison of the ZS60 and the A500.

Considering size and weight, the portability rating of the ZS60 and A500 is 88 and 63 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to see the difference between sensor dimensions only by going over specifications. The picture below might give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS60 and A500.

Plainly, both cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZS60 using its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field trickier and the Panasonic ZS60 will offer you greater detail using its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The newer ZS60 is going to have an edge in sensor innovation.