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

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Panasonic ZS50

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

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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. Both Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 cameras have 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensors. 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" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps 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-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-720 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1166k dot Electronic viewfinder

10.0 fps 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.

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

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

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

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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.

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.

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.

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".

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 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

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

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

Panasonic ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 have 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 - Ricoh WG-M1

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" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) 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" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) 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

GOOD

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" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) 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

Manual Focus Mode
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 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 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 ZS15 and Panasonic ZS50 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS15

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #209 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #786 out of 1225 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS50

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #17 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #332 out of 1225 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 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-inch
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"	3"
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
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
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
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
	Report a correction	Report a correction