Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony TX5 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS1

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

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Sony TX5

10 MP | 1/2.4" (6.104 x 4.578 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony TX5 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS1 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Sony TX5 was launched in February 2010. There is only 9 months difference between ZS1 and TX5 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Both cameras have 10.0MP sensors but Panasonic ZS1's sensor is 1/2.5-inch sized whereas Sony TX5 has a 1/2.4-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 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 TX5 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-02-18

10MP - 1/2.4-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 125 - 3200

25-100 mm F3.5-6.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

148g. 94 x 57 x 18 mm

Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 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-TX5

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 100mm	200 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.30 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 6.30	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 2.9m	2.4m longer range

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 3.0fps	7 fps faster
Weight	148 g vs 229 g	81 g lighter
Environmental Sealing	Yes vs No	shoot at tough conditions
Max Video Resolution	1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5

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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5

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
Max Resolution	10 MP vs 10 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control

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Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony TX5: 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 TX5 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 TX5 has external dimensions of 94 x 57 x 18 mm (3.7 x 2.24 x 0.71″) and weighs 148 g (0.33 lb / 5.22 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5. Sony TX5 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 9mm narrower, 3mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Panasonic ZS1.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 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. Sony TX5 is significantly lighter (81g ) than the Panasonic ZS1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Sony TX5'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 TX5: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 have 10.0 MP resolution sensors but Panasonic ZS1's sensor is 1/2.5-inch (5.744 x 4.308 mm ) and Sony TX5's sensor is 1/2.4-inch (6.104 x 4.578 mm ).

Since Sony TX5's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Panasonic ZS1.

Below you can see the ZS1 and TX5 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 Cameras

As seen above, Sony TX5 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 Sony TX5 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS1 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony TX5 features a 25-100 mm F3.5-6.3 4× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.30, Panasonic ZS1 is faster than Sony TX5 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS1 has 200mm longer reach than the Sony TX5. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS1

TX5

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS1 and Sony TX5 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 TX5 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 Focus Mode
Small 1/2.4" (6.104 x 4.578 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony TX5 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
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.4" (6.104 x 4.578 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony TX5 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 Focus Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
100 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony TX5 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
148g
Body Thickness 18mm
Environmental Sealings
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.4" (6.104 x 4.578 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony TX5 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
Environmental Sealings
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.4" (6.104 x 4.578 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS1 vs Sony TX5: 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 TX5, 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 TX5 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 TX5

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #10 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #669 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony TX5 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic ZS1 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony TX5 vs Panasonic ZS1 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX5
Brand	Panasonic	Sony
Announced	2009-05-14	2010-02-18
Body Type	Compact	Ultracompact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.5-inch	1/2.4-inch
Dimensions	5.744 x 4.308 mm	6.104 x 4.578 mm
Area	24.74mm²	27.94mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	100 ISO	125 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	25-100 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.5-6.3
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.7"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	2.90 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	3.0 fps	10.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	148g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	94 x 57 x 18mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction