Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony RX100 III

Here is a thorough review of the Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony RX100 III, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a large difference among the image resolutions of the ZS8 (14MP) and RX100 III (20MP) and the ZS8 (1/2.3") and RX100 III (1") have totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The ZS8 was brought out 3 years before the RX100 III and that is a fairly serious difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZS8 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before going into a in-depth comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the ZS8 scores versus the RX100 III in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic ZS8 Gallery & Sony RX100 III Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS8 enjoys external measurements of 105mm x 58mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.3") and a weight of 210 grams (0.46 lbs) whilst the Sony RX100 III has proportions of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") having a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZS8 vs Sony RX100 III in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is a front view over all size comparison of the ZS8 compared to the RX100 III.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the ZS8 and RX100 III is 92 and 89 respectively.

In many cases, it is very difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing merely by viewing a spec sheet. The photograph here might offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS8 and RX100 III.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The ZS8 because of its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more challenging and the Sony RX100 III will result in greater detail having its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older ZS8 will be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.