Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony A55

In this article, we are evaluating the Panasonic ZS7 and Sony A55, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap among the sensor resolutions of the ZS7 (12MP) and A55 (16MP) and the ZS7 (1/2.3") and A55 (APS-C) use different sensor measurements.

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The ZS7 was announced 11 months later than the A55 so they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS7 being a Compact camera and the Sony A55 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving through a comprehensive comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the ZS7 matches up vs the A55 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Sony SLT-A55. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS7 Gallery and Sony A55 Gallery.

If you're going to lug around your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS7 comes with outside dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) and the Sony A55 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") with a weight of 500 grams (1.10 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS7 and Sony A55 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you use at the time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the ZS7 vs the A55.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS7 and A55 is 91 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it is tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements purely by seeing a spec sheet. The visual here might give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS7 and A55.

Clearly, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The ZS7 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting bokeh more difficult and the Sony A55 will provide extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution can also let you crop images a little more aggressively. The more modern ZS7 provides a benefit when it comes to sensor technology.