Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS Comparison

Camera to replace

Change

Panasonic ZS1

10 MP | 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) CCD Sensor

CHECK PRICE

Change

Canon SX280 HS

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

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS1 and SX280 HS, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Canon. Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Canon SX280 HS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Canon SX280 HS was launched in March 2013. As you can see, ZS1 is 4 years older than SX280 HS. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-05-14

10MP - 1/2.5-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

3 fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

229g. 103 x 60 x 33 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ6

Canon SX280 HS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-03-21

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

4 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

Built-in GPS

233g. 106 x 63 x 33 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot SX270 HS Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Weight	229 g vs 233 g	4 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.30 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 6.80	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 3.5m	1.8m longer range

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot SX280 HS over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	461k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/3200s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	4.0fps vs 3.0fps	1 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	500mm vs 300mm	200 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	20× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 500mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Canon PowerShot SX280 HS

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

New4

Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS: 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS1 has external dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3″) and weighs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz) (including batteries). Canon SX280 HS has external dimensions of 106 x 63 x 33 mm (4.17 x 2.48 x 1.3″) and weighs 233 g (0.51 lb / 8.22 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS 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 ZS1 is 4g lighter than the Canon SX280 HS but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Canon PowerShot SX280 HS 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 SX280 HS's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic ZS1's 2.7" screen.

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

Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch (5.744 x 4.308 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Canon SX280 HS has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 6 processor.

Below you can see the ZS1 and SX280 HS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS Cameras

As seen above, Canon SX280 HS has a 1.1x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS1. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Canon SX280 HS features a 25-500 mm F3.5-6.8 20× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.30, Panasonic ZS1 is faster than Canon SX280 HS at this focal length. On the tele end, Canon SX280 HS has 200mm longer telezoom reach than the Panasonic ZS1. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Panasonic ZS1 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS1

SX280 HS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS 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.

Panasonic ZS1 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon SX280 HS for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

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

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SX280 HS for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 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

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SX280 HS for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
300 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Wireless Connection
500 mm Tele Lens
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3200s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 210 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.80
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon SX280 HS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
229g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
233g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SX280 HS for Landscape Photography

POOR

25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.5" (5.744 x 4.308 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
25 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

Panasonic ZS1 vs Canon SX280 HS: 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS, 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 Panasonic ZS1 and Canon SX280 HS scores compare:

Panasonic ZS1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #378 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1058 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX280 HS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #124 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #619 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon SX280 HS has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic ZS1 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Canon SX280 HS vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1	Canon PowerShot SX280 HS
Brand	Panasonic	Canon
Announced	2009-05-14	2013-03-21
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.5-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	5.744 x 4.308 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	24.74mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	100 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	11	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	25-500 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.5-6.8
Macro Focus Range	3cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.7"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/3200s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	3.50 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	233g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	106 x 63 x 33mm
Battery Life	n/a	210 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction