Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony QX1

Its time to examine more closely at the Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony QX1, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Lens-style by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference between the image resolutions of the ZS8 (14MP) and QX1 (20MP) and the ZS8 (1/2.3") and QX1 (APS-C) possess totally different sensor measurements.

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The ZS8 was manufactured 4 years before the QX1 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX1 being a Lens-style camera.

Before delving through a more detailed comparison, below is a quick summary of how the ZS8 grades against the QX1 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 and Sony Alpha QX1. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS8 Gallery and Sony QX1 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to carry your camera, you should consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS8 has got outside measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") along with a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs) whilst the Sony QX1 has dimensions of 74mm x 70mm x 53mm (2.9" x 2.8" x 2.1") with a weight of 216 grams (0.48 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony QX1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have during that time. Here is the front view proportions comparison of the ZS8 and the QX1.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the ZS8 and QX1 is 92 and 90 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualise the gap between sensor sizing merely by looking at a spec sheet. The visual below might give you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS8 and QX1.

As you can see, both of the cameras have got different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS8 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony QX1 will give you greater detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The older ZS8 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.