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Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS1

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

Panasonic ZS1
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Fujifilm S8600

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

Fujifilm S8600
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Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS1 and S8600, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Fujifilm. Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Fujifilm S8600 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Fujifilm S8600 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, ZS1 is 5 years older than S8600. 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 Fujifilm S8600 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

Fujifilm S8600 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-06
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 25-900 mm F2.9-6.5 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 8 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 450g. 121 x 81 x 65 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Fujifilm FinePix S8600
Weight
229 g vs 450 g 221 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 6.50 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.48µm2 vs 1.76µm2 40% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix S8600 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
460k dots vs 230k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
8.0fps vs 3.0fps 5 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele
900mm vs 300mm 600 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 12× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.90 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 5.3m 0.7m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Fujifilm FinePix S8600
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Sensor-shift 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 900mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Fujifilm FinePix S8600
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 460k dots Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
New4
Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600: 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 Fujifilm S8600 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). Fujifilm S8600 has external dimensions of 121 x 81 x 65 mm (4.76 x 3.19 x 2.56″) and weighs 450 g (0.99 lb / 15.87 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600. Panasonic ZS1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 18mm narrower, 21mm shorter and 32mm thinner than Fujifilm S8600.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 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 significantly lighter (221g ) than the Fujifilm S8600 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS1
S8600
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS1
S8600
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Fujifilm FinePix S8600 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Fujifilm S8600'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 Fujifilm S8600: 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, Fujifilm S8600 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Fujifilm S8600's sensor provides 6MP more than Panasonic ZS1's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the ZS1 and S8600 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 Cameras


As seen above, Fujifilm S8600 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 Fujifilm S8600 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm S8600 features a 25-900 mm F2.9-6.5 36× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.90, Fujifilm S8600 is faster than Panasonic ZS1 at this focal length. On the tele end, Fujifilm S8600 has 600mm 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
S8600
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
S8600
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
S8600
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
S8600
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Fujifilm S8600 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

Fujifilm S8600 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 Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm S8600 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
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Fujifilm S8600 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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 Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 8.0fps
900 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm S8600 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
36.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
450g
Body Thickness 65mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm S8600 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 Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Fujifilm S8600: 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 Fujifilm S8600, 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 Fujifilm S8600 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
Fujifilm S8600
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #96 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #766 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm S8600 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS1 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZS1. Otherwise, Fujifilm S8600 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS1
Panasonic ZS1
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Fujifilm S8600
Fujifilm S8600
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Fujifilm S8600 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Fujifilm FinePix S8600
Brand Panasonic Fujifilm
Announced 2009-05-14 2014-01-06
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
Sensor
Type CCD CCD
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 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4608 x 3456
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×) 25-900 mm (36×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.9-6.5
Macro Focus Range 3cm 7cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 6.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 8.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 640 x 480 1280 x 720
Video Formats Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 450g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 121 x 81 x 65mm
Battery Life n/a 410 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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