CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
  • LENSES
  • TOOLS
    • Smart Find
    • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Size Comparison
  • BRANDS
    • Sony Cameras
    • Canon Cameras
    • Nikon Cameras
    • Pentax Cameras
    • Fujifilm Cameras
    • Olympus Cameras
    • Panasonic Cameras
    • Leica Cameras
    • Samsung Cameras
  • BODY TYPE
    • Mirrorless Cameras
    • DSLR Cameras
    • Compact Cameras
    • Bridge Cameras
    • Waterproof Cameras

Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Nikon A1000

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Nikon A1000
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Panasonic ZS50

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

Panasonic ZS50
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing A1000 and ZS50, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon A1000 has a 16.0 MP and Panasonic ZS50 has a 12.0 MP resolution. Nikon A1000 was introduced to market in January 2019 and Panasonic ZS50 was launched in January 2015. As you can see, ZS50 is 4 years older than A1000. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon A1000 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2019-01-18
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 6400
  • 24-840 mm F3.4-6.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • continuous shooting
  • 4K (UHD) - 3840 x 2160 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 330g. 114 x 72 x 41 mm
  • Replaced Nikon Coolpix A900 Compare

Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-06
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0 fps 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

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 Nikon Coolpix A1000

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix A1000 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Tele
840mm vs 720mm 120 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
35x vs 30x more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution
3840 x 2160 vs 1920 x 1080 Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 over Nikon Coolpix A1000
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 921k dots 12% higher resolution screen
Viewfinder Coverage
100% vs 98% More accurate viewfinder
Battery Life
300 shots vs 250 shots 50 more frames with a single charge
Weight
243 g vs 330 g 87 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
3.30 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
6.40 vs 6.90 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2 32% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix A1000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Wireless Connection
Yes vs Yes Better connectivity
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
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
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 1.040k dots High resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
fps vs 10.0fps Fast shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
Yes vs Yes both have manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs Yes creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele
840mm vs 720mm Very good Telezoom
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs Yes Remote control your camera with a smartphone
Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix A1000 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
6.90 vs 6.40 Slow lenses at tele
Nikon A1000 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 Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon A1000 has external dimensions of 114 x 72 x 41 mm (4.49 x 2.83 x 1.61″) and weighs 330 g (0.73 lb / 11.64 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 Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50. Panasonic ZS50 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 7mm thinner than Nikon A1000.

Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50.

Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50.
Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS50 is significantly lighter (87g ) than the Nikon A1000 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix A1000 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

Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Nikon A1000 features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Panasonic ZS50 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to A1000.
Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50: Sensor Comparison

Nikon A1000 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic ZS50 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the A1000 and ZS50 sensor size comparison.

Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 Cameras


Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Panasonic ZS50 has 32% larger pixel area (2.34µm2 vs 1.76µm2) compared to Nikon A1000, it has larger pixel area to collect light hence potential to have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Nikon A1000 vs Panasonic ZS50 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon A1000 features a 24-840 mm F3.4-6.9 35x zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS50 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.30, Panasonic ZS50 is faster than Nikon A1000 at this focal length. On the tele end, Nikon A1000 has 120mm longer reach than the Panasonic ZS50. However, with a max aperture of f6.40, Panasonic ZS50 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

A1000
ZS50
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Nikon A1000 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.

Nikon A1000 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
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" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon A1000 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Panasonic ZS50 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
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" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon A1000 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
840 mm Tele Lens
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.90
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

Nikon A1000 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS50 for Daily Photography

GOOD
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
35.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
330g
Body Thickness 41mm
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
243g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Nikon A1000 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Landscape Photography

POOR
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon A1000 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 Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50, 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 Nikon A1000 and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Nikon A1000
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #20 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #350 out of 1223 in all Cameras
Panasonic ZS50
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #17 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #331 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50 scores higher than the Nikon A1000 thanks to its better general imaging quality, compact size and higher value for the money. On the other hand, Nikon A1000 has some extra features which may become a game changer if you have some specific requirements.
We recommend you to read our detailed Pro's and Con's section and see if any Pro of Nikon A1000 is a must-have for you. If not, choose the Panasonic ZS50.

Nikon A1000
Nikon A1000
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic ZS50
Panasonic ZS50
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic ZS50 vs Nikon A1000 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Nikon Coolpix A1000 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Brand Nikon Panasonic
Announced 2019-01-18 2015-01-06
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type BSI-CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 16 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4608 x 3456 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 125 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 n/a 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-840 mm (35x) 24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture F3.4-6.9 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 1cm 3cm
Screen
Type Tilting Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 921k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Electronic Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution 1,166k dots 1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage 98% 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m (with Auto ISO) 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting n/a 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 3840 x 2160 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, H.264 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity Built-In Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 330g 243g
Dimensions 114 x 72 x 41mm 111 x 65 x 34mm
Battery Life 250 shots 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS No 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


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Nikon Z7
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Sony A6000
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7 III
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Fujifilm X-T3
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R
30 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony A6400
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Sony E Mount
Nikon D5600
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Nikon D850
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon F Mount
Top Rated Compact Cameras
Top Cameras Under $200
Top Compact Cameras Under $500
Top Compact Cameras Under $750
Top Compact Cameras Under $1000
Latest Cameras
Fujifilm GFX 100S
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-E4
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Sony a1
50 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Leica SL2-S
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Leica L Mount
Leica Q2 Monochrom
47 MP | Full frame Sensor | 28 mm
Fujifilm X-S10
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Nikon Z7 II
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Nikon Z6 II
25 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Copyright © 2021 by CameraDecision
About Feedback Privacy Cameras

Report a Correction