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Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R Comparison

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Camera to replace
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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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Sony RX1R

24 MP | Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) CMOS Sensor

Sony RX1R
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Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Sony RX1R was launched in June 2013. As you can see, ZS1 is 4 years older than RX1R. 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 Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R 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

Sony RX1R Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-26
  • 24MP - Full frame CMOS Sensor
  • No Anti-aliasing (AA) filter
  • ISO 100 - 25600
  • 35 mm f2.00 Prime Lens
  • 3 Fixed Type Screen
  • 5 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 482g. 113 x 65 x 70 mm

Sony RX1R was replaced by Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II vs Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R II 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 Sony RX1R compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Image Stabilization
Optical vs None Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Weight
229 g vs 482 g 253 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide
25mm vs 35mm 10 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
300mm vs 35mm 265 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
12× vs 1x more flexible focal coverage


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R 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
24 MP vs 10 MP 140% more pixels
Max ISO
25.600 vs 6.400 300% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points
25 vs 11 14 more focus points
LCD Screen Size
3 vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
1.229k dots vs 230k dots 434% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
5.0fps vs 3.0fps 2 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.00 vs 4.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 5.3m 0.7m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
35.65µm2 vs 2.48µm2 1337% 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony RX1R 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). Sony RX1R has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 70 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 2.76″) and weighs 482 g (1.06 lb / 17.00 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R. Panasonic ZS1 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 10mm narrower, 5mm shorter and 37mm thinner than Sony RX1R.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front 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 (253g ) than the Sony RX1R which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 (Lumix DMC-TZ6) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R 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

Sony RX1R'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 Sony RX1R: 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, Sony RX1R has a 24.0MP Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Sony RX1R's sensor provides 14MP 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.

One other difference between these two cameras that is worth mentioning is that Sony RX1R's sensor doesn't have an anti-alias (Low-Pass) filter. Removing anti-alias filter increases the sharpness and level of detail but at the same time, it increases the chance of moire occurring in certain scenes.

Below you can see the ZS1 and RX1R sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R Cameras


As seen above, Sony RX1R has a 34.6x 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 Sony RX1R Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony RX1R features a 35 mm F2.0 Prime lens.

It is not easy to compare a prime lens with a zoom lens. Panasonic ZS1's zoom lens provides a great flexibility compared to Sony RX1R's 35mm fixed focal length lens. On the other hand, RX1R's prime lens makes it a specialized camera. You compromise the flexibility of a zoom in order to enjoy the high image quality and unique rendering of this fast lens. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS1 has 265mm longer reach than the Sony RX1R. However, with a max aperture of f2.00, Sony RX1R is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Large Sensor Compact Cameras

ZS1
RX1R
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Sony RX1R 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

Sony RX1R for Portrait Photography

GOOD
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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony RX1R 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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
Optional External Viewfinder
No Image Stabilization
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony RX1R 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
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
25 Focus Points
Good Low Light ISO
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Continuous Shooting: 5.0fps
No Image Stabilization
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 270 shots
35 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony RX1R for Daily Photography

EXCELLENT
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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
482g
Body Thickness 70mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony RX1R 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 Full frame (35.8 x 23.9 mm) sensor
Very High Resolution Sensor: 24.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
35 mm - Poor Wide Angle Coverage
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony RX1R: 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 Sony RX1R, 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 Sony RX1R 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
Sony RX1R
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #11 out of 61 in Large sensor compact cameras
Ranked #177 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony RX1R 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, Sony RX1R is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS1
Panasonic ZS1
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Sony RX1R
Sony RX1R
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Sony RX1R vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX1R
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2009-05-14 2013-06-26
Body Type Compact Large sensor compact
Sensor
Type CCD CMOS
Size 1/2.5-inch Full frame
Dimensions 5.744 x 4.308 mm 35.8 x 23.9 mm
Area 24.74mm2 855.62mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 24 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 6000 x 4000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 25,600 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 25
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×) 35 mm (1x)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.0
Macro Focus Range 3cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.7" 3
Resolution 230k dots 1,229k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic and Optical (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical No
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 6.00 m
Max Flash Sync n/a 1/4000s
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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 482g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 113 x 65 x 70mm
Battery Life n/a 270 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 91
DxO Color Depth not tested 25.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 13.6
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 2537
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