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Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS15

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS15
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Panasonic ZS50

12 MP | 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor

Panasonic ZS50
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Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS15 and ZS50, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Panasonic. Panasonic ZS15 was introduced to market in June 2012 and Panasonic ZS50 was launched in January 2015. As you can see, ZS15 is 3 years older than ZS50. 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 ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS15 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-06-29
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • 24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 208g. 105 x 58 x 33 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ25

Panasonic ZS50 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2015-01-06
  • 12MP - 1/2.3 CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1166k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 243g. 111 x 65 x 34 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ70
  • Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45 Compare

Panasonic ZS15 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 (Lumix DMC-TZ25)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)

Panasonic ZS50 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS60 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 (Lumix DMC-TZ25)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


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Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
208 g vs 243 g 35 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.40 faster lens at tele
CHECK ZS15 PRICE


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Resolution
1.040k dots vs 460k dots 126% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Battery Life
300 shots vs 260 shots 40 more frames with a single charge
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Tele
720mm vs 384mm 336 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
30x vs 16× more flexible focal coverage
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone
CHECK ZS50 PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 24mm Very good wide angle coverage
Focal Length - Tele
384mm vs 720mm Very good Telezoom
AE Bracketing
Yes vs Yes Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 6.40 Slow lenses at tele
New4
Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50: 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 ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS15 has external dimensions of 105 x 58 x 33 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.3″) and weighs 208 g (0.46 lb / 7.34 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic ZS50 has external dimensions of 111 x 65 x 34 mm (4.37 x 2.56 x 1.34″) and weighs 243 g (0.54 lb / 8.57 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50. Panasonic ZS15 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 6mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Panasonic ZS50.

Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50.

Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50.
Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS15 is significantly lighter (35g ) than the Panasonic ZS50 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 (Lumix DMC-TZ25) nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (Lumix DMC-TZ70) 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

Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Panasonic ZS15's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) and Panasonic ZS50's sensor is 1/2.3 (6.17 x 4.55 mm ).

Since Panasonic ZS50'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 ZS15.

Below you can see the ZS15 and ZS50 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 Cameras


Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 have the same sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS15 features a 24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 16× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS50 features a 24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 30x zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 24mm and have the same max aperture of f3.30 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS50 has 336mm longer telezoom reach than the Panasonic ZS15. However, with a max aperture of f5.90, Panasonic ZS15 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS15
ZS50
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 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 ZS15 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 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
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
384 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 Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
720 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No External Flash Shoe
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS50 for Daily Photography

GOOD
Compact Body
208g
16.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
243g
30.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3 sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS50 for Landscape Photography

POOR
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3 sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS15 vs Panasonic ZS50: 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 ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS15
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #216 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #821 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Panasonic ZS50
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #20 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #350 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS15 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZS15. Otherwise, Panasonic ZS50 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS15
Panasonic ZS15
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Panasonic ZS50
Panasonic ZS50
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Panasonic ZS50 vs Panasonic ZS15 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Announced 2012-06-29 2015-01-06
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CMOS CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3
Dimensions 6.17 x 4.55 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 28.07mm2 28.07mm2
Megapixels 12 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 100 ISO 80 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 23 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 24-384 mm (16×) 24-720 mm (30x)
Max Aperture F3.3-5.9 F3.3-6.4
Macro Focus Range 3cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3.00" 3.00"
Resolution 460k dots 1,040k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 1,166k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Viewfinder Magnification n/a 0.46x
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/4000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.40 m 6.40 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1920 x 1080 1920 x 1080
Video Formats MPEG-4, AVCHD MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 208g 243g
Dimensions 105 x 58 x 33mm 111 x 65 x 34mm
Battery Life 260 shots 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 44
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.2
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 138
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