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Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario 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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Leica X Vario

16 MP | APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) CMOS Sensor

Leica X Vario
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Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Leica. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Leica X Vario was launched in June 2013. As you can see, ZS1 is 4 years older than X Vario. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario 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

Leica X Vario Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-11
  • 16MP - APS-C CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12500
  • 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 680g. 133 x 73 x 95 mm
  • Replaced Leica X2 Compare

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

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Leica X Vario
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Weight
229 g vs 680 g 451 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 28mm 3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
300mm vs 70mm 230 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
12× vs 2.5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.30 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele


Reasons to choose Leica X Vario over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Max ISO
12.500 vs 6.400 95% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Sensor Pixel Area
23.13µm2 vs 2.48µm2 832% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 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 Leica X Vario
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs Yes very handy for portraits
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Leica X Vario
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
New4
Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario: 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 Leica X Vario 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). Leica X Vario has external dimensions of 133 x 73 x 95 mm (5.24 x 2.87 x 3.74″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario. Panasonic ZS1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 30mm narrower, 13mm shorter and 62mm thinner than Leica X Vario.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario 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 (451g ) than the Leica X Vario which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1
X Vario
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1
X Vario
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Leica X Vario 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

Leica X Vario'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 Leica X Vario: 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, Leica X Vario has a 16.0MP APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Leica X Vario'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 X Vario sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Leica X Vario Cameras


As seen above, Leica X Vario has a 15.1x 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 Leica X Vario Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Leica X Vario features a 28-70 mm F3.5-6.4 2.5× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS1 has 3mm wider coverage than the Leica X Vario. At f3.30, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS1 has 230mm longer reach than the Leica X Vario. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1
X Vario
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS1
X Vario
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

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

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

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

Leica X Vario for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica X Vario 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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario 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
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
11 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
70 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica X Vario 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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
680g
Body Thickness 95mm
2.5X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica X Vario for Landscape Photography

AVERAGE
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
Large APS-C (23.6 x 15.8 mm) sensor
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Leica X Vario: 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 Leica X Vario, 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 Leica X Vario 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
Leica X Vario
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #41 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #378 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica X Vario 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, Leica X Vario is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS1
Panasonic ZS1
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Leica X Vario
Leica X Vario
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Leica X Vario vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Leica X Vario
Brand Panasonic Leica
Announced 2009-05-14 2013-06-11
Body Type Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.5-inch APS-C
Dimensions 5.744 x 4.308 mm 23.6 x 15.8 mm
Area 24.74mm2 372.88mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4928 x 3272
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,500 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 11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×) 28-70 mm (2.5×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F3.5-6.4
Macro Focus Range 3cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps 5.0 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
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 680g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 133 x 73 x 95mm
Battery Life n/a 450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 78
DxO Color Depth not tested 23.4
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 12.7
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 1320
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