Panasonic ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS7

12 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Leica V-Lux 30

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS7 and V-Lux 30, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Leica. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS7 has a 12.0 MP and Leica V-Lux 30 has a 14.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS7 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Leica V-Lux 30 was launched in May 2011. There is only 2 months difference between ZS7 and V-Lux 30 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS7 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-19

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

Built-in GPS

218g. 103 x 60 x 33 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ10

Leica V-Lux 30 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-05-26

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in GPS

219g. 105 x 58 x 43 mm

Panasonic ZS7 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 (Lumix DMC-TZ10)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8 vs Leica V-Lux 30

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 over Leica V-Lux 30

Weight	218 g vs 219 g	1 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.31µm² vs 1.98µm²	16% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Leica V-Lux 30 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 2.0fps	8 fps faster
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	384mm vs 300mm	84 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	16× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
GPS	Built-in vs Built-in	track your location
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 384mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30

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
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

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Panasonic ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30: 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 ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS7 has external dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3″) and weighs 218 g (0.48 lb / 7.69 oz) (including batteries). Leica V-Lux 30 has external dimensions of 105 x 58 x 43 mm (4.13 x 2.28 x 1.69″) and weighs 219 g (0.48 lb / 7.72 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30. Panasonic ZS7 is 2mm narrower and 10mm thinner than Leica V-Lux 30 but it is also 2mm taller.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS7 is 1g lighter than the Leica V-Lux 30 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 (Lumix DMC-TZ10) nor Leica V-Lux 30 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 ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30'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 ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS7 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine HD II processor. On the other hand, Leica V-Lux 30 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine FHD processor.

Below you can see the ZS7 and V-Lux 30 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 Cameras

Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Panasonic ZS7 has 16% larger pixel area compared to Leica V-Lux 30, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Panasonic ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS7 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Leica V-Lux 30 features a 24-384 mm F3.3-5.9 16× zoom lens.

Leica V-Lux 30 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS7. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.30 at the wide end. On the tele end, Leica V-Lux 30 has 84mm longer telezoom reach than the Panasonic ZS7. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Panasonic ZS7 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS7

V-Lux 30

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 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 ZS7 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 30 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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

Panasonic ZS7 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica V-Lux 30 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 30 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
11 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
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica V-Lux 30 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
218g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
219g
16.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Body Thickness 43mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica V-Lux 30 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Built-in GPS
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 vs Leica V-Lux 30: 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 ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30, 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 ZS7 and Leica V-Lux 30 scores compare:

Panasonic ZS7

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #229 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #821 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Leica V-Lux 30

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #150 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #667 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Leica V-Lux 30 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic ZS7 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Leica V-Lux 30 vs Panasonic ZS7 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7	Leica V-Lux 30
Brand	Panasonic	Leica
Announced	2011-07-19	2011-05-26
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	27.72mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 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	11	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	24-384 mm (16×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.3-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m	5.00 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	1280 x 720	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	AVCHD Lite	MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	218g	219g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	105 x 58 x 43mm
Battery Life	n/a	260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction