Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison

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Canon SX200 IS

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS50

12 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

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Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing SX200 IS and ZS50, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Canon and Panasonic. Canon SX200 IS was introduced to market in May 2009 and Panasonic ZS50 was launched in January 2015. As you can see, SX200 IS is 6 years older than ZS50. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Canon SX200 IS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-05-14

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 1600

28-336 mm F3.4-5.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

1.0fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

247g. 103 x 61 x 38 mm

Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2015-01-06

12MP - 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

243g. 111 x 65 x 34 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ70

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 Compare

Canon SX200 IS was replaced by Canon PowerShot SX210 IS. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot SX210 IS vs Canon PowerShot SX200 IS
Canon PowerShot SX210 IS vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)

Panasonic ZS50 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Canon PowerShot SX200 IS

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX200 IS over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Max Mech. Shutter	1/3200s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Max Aperture - Tele	5.30 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele

CHECK SX200 IS PRICE

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 over Canon PowerShot SX200 IS

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Viewfinder	Electronic vs None	Better framing and control
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max ISO	6.400 vs 1.600	300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 9	14 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	1.040k dots vs 230k dots	352% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 1.0fps	9 fps faster
Weight	243 g vs 247 g	4 g lighter
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	720mm vs 336mm	384 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	30x vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.30 vs 3.40	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	6.4m vs 3.2m	3.2m longer range
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection	Yes vs No	Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote	Yes vs No	Remote control your camera with a smartphone

CHECK ZS50 PRICE

Common Strengths of Canon PowerShot SX200 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Manual Focusing	Yes vs Yes	both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	336mm vs 720mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Canon PowerShot SX200 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Canon SX200 IS has external dimensions of 103 x 61 x 38 mm (4.06 x 2.4 x 1.5″) and weighs 247 g (0.54 lb / 8.71 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS50 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.34″) and weighs 243 g (0.54 lb / 8.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50. Canon SX200 IS is 8mm narrower and 4mm shorter than Panasonic ZS50 but it is also 4mm thicker.

Comparison image of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50.

Comparison image of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS50 is 4g lighter than the Canon SX200 IS but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Canon PowerShot SX200 IS nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50: Sensor Comparison

Both Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Canon SX200 IS's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Panasonic ZS50's sensor is 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).

Since Panasonic ZS50'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 Canon SX200 IS.

Below you can see the SX200 IS and ZS50 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 Cameras

Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50 Lens Specs Comparison

Canon SX200 IS features a 28-336 mm F3.4-5.3 12× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS50 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS50 has 4mm wider coverage than the Canon SX200 IS. At f3.30, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS50 has 384mm longer telezoom reach than the Canon SX200 IS. However, with a max aperture of f5.30, Canon SX200 IS is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

SX200 IS

ZS50

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 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.

Canon SX200 IS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Canon SX200 IS for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS50 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Canon SX200 IS for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
336 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Canon SX200 IS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS50 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
247g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
243g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Canon SX200 IS for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Canon SX200 IS vs Panasonic ZS50: 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 Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 Canon SX200 IS and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Canon SX200 IS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #203 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #803 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #20 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #347 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50 has a higher Overall Score than the Canon SX200 IS and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic ZS50 vs Canon SX200 IS Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Canon PowerShot SX200 IS	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Brand	Canon	Panasonic
Announced	2009-05-14	2015-01-06
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	28.07mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	1,600 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	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	9	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	28-336 mm (12×)	24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture	F3.4-5.3	F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range	0cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	230k dots	1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution	no electronic viewfinder	1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage	n/a	100%
Viewfinder Magnification	n/a	0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/3200s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	3.20 m	6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	1.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	247g	243g
Dimensions	103 x 61 x 38mm	111 x 65 x 34mm
Battery Life	n/a	300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	44
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.0
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.2
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	138
	Report a correction	Report a correction