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

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47 Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Panasonic ZS1

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

Panasonic ZS1
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Panasonic FZ47

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic FZ47
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS1 and FZ47, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Panasonic. Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Panasonic FZ47 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Panasonic FZ47 was launched in July 2011. As you can see, ZS1 is 2 years older than FZ47. 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 Panasonic FZ47 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

Panasonic FZ47 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-07-21
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 1600 ( expands to 6400)
  • 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 498g. 120 x 80 x 92 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ48

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Max ISO
6.400 vs 1.600 300% higher Max ISO
Weight
229 g vs 498 g 269 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.20 faster lens at tele


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Max Sensor Resolution
12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 11 12 more focus points
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
4.0fps vs 3.0fps 1 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele
600mm vs 300mm 300 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
24× vs 12× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
9.5m vs 5.3m 4.2m longer range
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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
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 600mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 460k dots Low resolution screens
New4
Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47: 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 Panasonic FZ47 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). Panasonic FZ47 has external dimensions of 120 x 80 x 92 mm (4.72 x 3.15 x 3.62″) and weighs 498 g (1.10 lb / 17.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47. Panasonic ZS1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 20mm shorter and 59mm thinner than Panasonic FZ47.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 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 (269g ) than the Panasonic FZ47 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS1
FZ47
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS1
FZ47
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 (Lumix DMC-FZ48) 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

Panasonic FZ47'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 Panasonic FZ47: 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, Panasonic FZ47 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine FHD processor.

Below you can see the ZS1 and FZ47 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 Cameras


As seen above, Panasonic FZ47 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 Panasonic FZ47 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ47 features a 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 24× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FZ47 is faster than Panasonic ZS1 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic FZ47 has 300mm 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
FZ47
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
FZ47
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
FZ47
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS1
FZ47
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic FZ47 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

Panasonic FZ47 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
Image Stabilization
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ47 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ47 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
23 Focus Points
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic FZ47 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
24.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
498g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ47 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic FZ47: 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 Panasonic FZ47, 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 Panasonic FZ47 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
Panasonic FZ47
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #66 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #620 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ47 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, Panasonic FZ47 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS1
Panasonic ZS1
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic FZ47
Panasonic FZ47
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Panasonic FZ47 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Announced 2009-05-14 2011-07-21
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 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 24.74mm2 27.72mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 1,600 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 6400 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×) 25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.8-5.2
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 9.50 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/2000s
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 AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 498g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 120 x 80 x 92mm
Battery Life n/a 400 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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 Compact Cameras Under $200
Top Compact Cameras Under $500
Top Compact Cameras Under $750
Top Compact Cameras Under $1000
Top Rated Bridge Cameras
Top Bridge Cameras Under $200
Top Bridge Cameras Under $500
Top Bridge Cameras Under $750
Top Bridge 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