Panasonic ZS1 has a 10.0MP 1/2.5-inch (5.744 x 4.308 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Sigma SD1 Merrill has a 15.0MP APS-C (24 x 16 mm ) sized CMOS (Foveon X3) sensor and features Dual True II processor.
Sigma SD1 Merrill's sensor provides 5MP 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 SD1 Merrill sensor size comparison.
![Panasonic ZS1 vs Sigma SD1 Merrill Sensor Size Comparison]()
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sigma SD1 Merrill Cameras
As seen above, Sigma SD1 Merrill has a 15.5x 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.