Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100 Detailed Comparison

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100

Camera to replace

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Sony RX100 IV

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

$848.00
6%
off

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Panasonic ZS100

20 MP | 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) MOS Sensor

$647.99
7%
off

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Large Sensor Compact cameras. Both cameras have 20.0MP sensors but Sony RX100 IV's sensor is 1 sized whereas Panasonic ZS100 has a 1" sensor.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Sony RX100 IV Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-06-10

20MP - 1 BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800

24-70 mm F1.8 - F2.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Tilting Screen

2359k dot Electronic viewfinder

16.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

960 fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

298g. 102 x 58 x 41 mm

Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III Compare

Panasonic ZS100 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2016-01-05

20MP - 1" MOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 12800 ( expands to 80-25600)

25–250 mm F2.8 - F5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3″ Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

50.0 fps continuous shooting

3840 x 2160 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

312g. 111 x 65 x 44 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ100

Sony RX100 IV was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 V vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 (Lumix DMC-TZ100)

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100

Articulating Screen	Yes vs No	Flexible shooting positions
LCD Screen Resolution	1.229k dots vs 1.040k dots	18% higher resolution screen
Max Shutter Speed	1/32000s vs 1/16000s	faster shutter speed
Weight	298 g vs 312 g	14 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.80 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Viewfinder Resolution	2359k dot vs 1166k dot	102% higher resolution
Color Depth	22.9 vs 22.8	higher color depth
Dynamic Range	12.6 vs 12.5	higher dynamic range
Low Light ISO	562 vs 559	better High ISO performance
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Number of Focus Points	49 vs 25	24 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	50.0fps vs 16.0fps	34 fps faster
Battery Life	300 shots vs 280 shots	20 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele	250mm vs 70mm	180 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	10× vs 2.9�	more flexible focal coverage
Price	$648 vs $848	$200 cheaper
4K Photo Mode	Yes vs No	Extract 8MP photos from 4K Video
Post Focus Mode	Yes vs No	Change focus point after taking a shot

Common Strengths of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100

Wireless Connection	Yes vs Yes	Better connectivity
Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	All the lenses are stabilized
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Viewfinder	Yes (Electronic) vs Yes (Electronic)	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs Yes	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Max Resolution	20 MP vs 20 MP	Bigger prints and more details
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
AE Bracketing	Yes vs Yes	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Smartphone Remote Control	Yes vs Yes	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Weaknesses of Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100

External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100: Physical Specs Comparison

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100. Sony RX100 IV is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 9mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 3mm thinner than Panasonic ZS100

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100.

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100 Detailed Size Comparison

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony RX100 IV is 14g lighter than the Panasonic ZS100 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Min

Average

Max

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100: Sensor Comparison

Both Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 have 20.0 MP resolution sensors but Sony RX100 IV's sensor is 1 (13.2 x 8.8 mm ) and Panasonic ZS100's sensor is 1" (13.2 x 8.8 mm ).

Since Panasonic ZS100's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Sony RX100 IV.

Below you can see the RX100 IV and ZS100 sensor size comparison.

Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 sensors have exactly the same size so none of them has any advantage over other in this area.

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100 Lens Specs Comparison

Sony RX100 IV features a 24-70 mm F1.8 - F2.8 2.9� zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS100 features a 25–250 mm F2.8 - F5.9 10× zoom lens.

Sony RX100 IV has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS100. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS100 has 180mm longer telezoom reach than the Sony RX100 IV. However, with a max aperture of f2.80, Sony RX100 IV is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Widest - Canon G1 X MII

Average

Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Longest - Panasonic FZ2500

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Fastest - Leica Q

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

RX100 IV

ZS100

Fastest - Panasonic LX10

Average

What types of Photography are Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Sony RX100 IV for Portrait Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS100 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Sony RX100 IV for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic ZS100 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Image Stabilization
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Small Body
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Image Stabilization
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Small Body
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Read the details

Sony RX100 IV for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS100 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE

Fast Continuous Shooting: 16.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/32000s
25 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 280 shots
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No External Flash Shoe
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Fast Continuous Shooting: 50.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/16000s
49 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Image Stabilization
250 mm Tele Lens
RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Sony RX100 IV for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS100 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
298g
RAW shooting capability
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 41mm
3X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Compact Body
10X Optical Zoom
RAW shooting capability
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
312g
Body Thickness 44mm
Read the details

Sony RX100 IV for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS100 for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Exposure Mode
Manual Focus Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
RAW shooting capability
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Average sized 1″ (13.2 x 8.8 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Sony RX100 IV vs Panasonic ZS100: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Sony RX100 IV and Panasonic ZS100 scores compare:

Sony RX100 IV

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #11 out of 42 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #135 out of 1112 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS100

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #3 out of 42 in Large Sensor Compact cameras
Ranked #85 out of 1112 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS100 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony RX100 IV and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony RX100 IV

$848.00
6%
off

Panasonic ZS100

$647.99
7%
off

Panasonic ZS100 vs Sony RX100 IV Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 IV	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100
Brand	Sony	Panasonic
Announced	2015-06-10	2016-01-05
Body Type	Large sensor compact	Large Sensor Compact
Price	$848.00	$647.99
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	MOS
Size	1	1"
Dimensions	13.2 x 8.8 mm	13.2 x 8.8 mm
Area	116.16mm²	116.16mm²
Megapixels	20 megapixels	20 megapixels
Max Resolution	5472 x 3648	5472 x 3648
Max Native Light sensitivity	12,800 ISO	12,800 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	25600 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	125 ISO	125 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	25	49
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-70 mm (2.9�)	25–250 mm (10×)
Max Aperture	F1.8 - F2.8	F2.8 - F5.9
Macro Focus Range	5cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Tilting	Fixed type
Size	3″	3″
Resolution	1,229k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	Electronic	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	2,359k dots	1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	100%	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	0.59�	0.46×
Photography Features
Max Shutter Speed	1/32000s	1/16000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	n/a	8.00 m (at Auto ISO)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	16.0 fps	50.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	3840 x 2160	3840 x 2160
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD, XAVC S	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	298g	312g
Dimensions	102 x 58 x 41mm	111 x 65 x 44mm
Battery Life	280 shots	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	70	70
DxO Color Depth	22.9	22.8
DxO Dynamic Range	12.6	12.5
DxO Low Light ISO	562	559
	Report a correction	Report a correction