Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550
91 Imaging
35 Features
33 Overall
34
96 Imaging
37 Features
28 Overall
33
Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Display
- ISO 80 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 25-300mm (F3.3-4.9) lens
- 218g - 103 x 60 x 33mm
- Launched July 2011
- Other Name is Lumix DMC-TZ10
- New Model is Panasonic ZS8
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 80 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 26-104mm (F2.7-5.7) lens
- 110g - 94 x 56 x 19mm
- Released July 2011
Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Overview
Here, we will be comparing the Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZS7 (12MP) and the W550 (14MP) is relatively comparable and both cameras offer the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").
Samsung Releases Faster Versions of EVO MicroSD CardsThe ZS7 was manufactured very close to the W550 which means that they are of a similar age. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.
Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a quick summary of how the ZS7 grades against the W550 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.
Photography Glossary Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Gallery
Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery & Sony W550 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Panasonic ZS7 over the Sony W550
| ZS7 | W550 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen resolution | 460k | 230k | Crisper screen (+230k dot) |
Reasons to pick Sony W550 over the Panasonic ZS7
| W550 | ZS7 |
|---|
Common features in the Panasonic ZS7 and Sony W550
| ZS7 | W550 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Released | July 2011 | July 2011 | Same age | |
| Manual focus | Lack of manual focus | |||
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Screen size | 3" | 3" | Same screen sizing | |
| Selfie screen | Neither offers selfie screen | |||
| Touch friendly screen | Absent Touch friendly screen |
Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Physical Comparison
For anybody who is going to travel with your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZS7 offers outside measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Sony W550 has measurements of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") along with a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).
Contrast the Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that time. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the ZS7 compared to the W550.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS7 and W550 is 91 and 96 respectively.
Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Sensor Comparison
More often than not, it is very hard to picture the difference in sensor dimensions only by going through a spec sheet. The image below should offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS7 and W550.
Clearly, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different MP. You can count on the Sony W550 to show extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs way more aggressively.
Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Screen and ViewFinder
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Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony W550 Specifications
| Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Company | Panasonic | Sony |
| Model type | Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 | Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550 |
| Also called | Lumix DMC-TZ10 | - |
| Category | Small Sensor Superzoom | Ultracompact |
| Launched | 2011-07-19 | 2011-07-24 |
| Body design | Compact | Ultracompact |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Processor | Venus Engine HD II | BIONZ |
| Sensor type | CCD | CCD |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | 1/2.3" |
| Sensor measurements | 6.08 x 4.56mm | 6.17 x 4.55mm |
| Sensor surface area | 27.7mm² | 28.1mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 12 megapixels | 14 megapixels |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 | 4:3 and 16:9 |
| Highest resolution | 4000 x 3000 | 4320 x 3240 |
| Highest native ISO | 6400 | 3200 |
| Lowest native ISO | 80 | 80 |
| RAW photos | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Autofocus touch | ||
| Continuous autofocus | ||
| Autofocus single | ||
| Autofocus tracking | ||
| Autofocus selectice | ||
| Center weighted autofocus | ||
| Autofocus multi area | ||
| Live view autofocus | ||
| Face detect autofocus | ||
| Contract detect autofocus | ||
| Phase detect autofocus | ||
| Total focus points | 11 | 9 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | fixed lens | fixed lens |
| Lens zoom range | 25-300mm (12.0x) | 26-104mm (4.0x) |
| Max aperture | f/3.3-4.9 | f/2.7-5.7 |
| Macro focusing distance | 3cm | 5cm |
| Focal length multiplier | 5.9 | 5.8 |
| Screen | ||
| Display type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Display diagonal | 3" | 3" |
| Resolution of display | 460k dot | 230k dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch display | ||
| Display tech | - | Clear Photo LCD |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder | None | None |
| Features | ||
| Lowest shutter speed | 60 secs | 2 secs |
| Highest shutter speed | 1/2000 secs | 1/1600 secs |
| Continuous shooting speed | 2.0 frames per second | 1.0 frames per second |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manual exposure | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | - |
| Set white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Built-in flash | ||
| Flash distance | 5.30 m | 3.80 m |
| Flash options | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro | Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync |
| External flash | ||
| AE bracketing | ||
| White balance bracketing | ||
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) |
| Highest video resolution | 1280x720 | 1280x720 |
| Video data format | AVCHD Lite | MPEG-4 |
| Microphone jack | ||
| Headphone jack | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | BuiltIn | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 218 gr (0.48 lb) | 110 gr (0.24 lb) |
| Physical dimensions | 103 x 60 x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") | 94 x 56 x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | not tested |
| Other | ||
| Battery ID | - | NP-BN1 |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec) | Yes (2 or 10 sec, Portrait 1/2) |
| Time lapse shooting | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal | SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo |
| Storage slots | Single | - |
| Price at launch | $350 | $119 |