Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic TS4 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS1

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

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Panasonic TS4

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

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Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic TS4 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Panasonic cameras cameras with different body types: Panasonic ZS1, which was introduced in May 2009 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch sensor whereas Panasonic TS4, which was introduced in January 2012 is a Waterproof camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, ZS1 is 3 years older than TS4. 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 TS4 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 TS4 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-01-31

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

28-128 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

4 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

197g. 103 x 64 x 27 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Also known as Lumix DMC-FT4

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS3 Compare

Panasonic TS4 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 (Lumix DMC-FT4)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS5 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 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-TS4

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1300s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 128mm	172 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 4.6×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 11	12 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	4.0fps vs 3.0fps	1 fps faster
Weight	197 g vs 229 g	32 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4

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 Size	2.7" vs 2.7"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes

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Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4 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 TS4 has external dimensions of 103 x 64 x 27 mm (4.06 x 2.52 x 1.06″) and weighs 197 g (0.43 lb / 6.95 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 is significantly lighter (32g ) than the Panasonic ZS1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 2.7".

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

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4 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 TS4 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 Cameras

As seen above, Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Panasonic TS4 features a 28-128 mm F3.3-5.9 4.6× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS1 has 3mm wider coverage than the Panasonic TS4. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.30 at the wide end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS1 has 172mm longer reach than the Panasonic TS4. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TS4

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Panasonic TS4 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 TS4 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: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic TS4 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic TS4 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 Exposure Mode
Environmental Sealings
23 Focus Points
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
128 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1300s
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic TS4 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
197g
Environmental Sealings
4.6X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic TS4 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
Environmental Sealings
Built-in GPS
28 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 Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Panasonic TS4: 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 TS4, 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 TS4 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 TS4

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #116 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #599 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic TS4 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS1 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic TS4 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1	Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS4
Brand	Panasonic	Panasonic
Announced	2009-05-14	2012-01-31
Body Type	Compact	Compact
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	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	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	28-128 mm (4.6×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.3-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.7"	2.7"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/1300s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	5.60 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	197g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	103 x 64 x 27mm
Battery Life	n/a	310 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction