Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS7

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

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Sony WX80

16 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS7 was introduced to market in July 2011 and Sony WX80 was launched in January 2013. There is 18 months difference between ZS7 and WX80 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger WX80, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS7 has a 12.0 MP and Sony WX80 has a 16.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 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

Sony WX80 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-08

16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 12800)

28-224 mm F3.3-8.0 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

124g. 92 x 52 x 22 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80

GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 224mm	76 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 8x	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 8.00	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 4.2m	1.1m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.31µm² vs 1.76µm²	31% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 2.0fps	8 fps faster
Weight	124 g vs 218 g	94 g lighter
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 224mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80

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 Size	3" vs 2.7"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80: 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 Sony WX80 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). Sony WX80 has external dimensions of 92 x 52 x 22 mm (3.62 x 2.05 x 0.87″) and weighs 124 g (0.27 lb / 4.37 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80. Sony WX80 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 8mm shorter and 11mm thinner than Panasonic ZS7.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony WX80 is significantly lighter (94g ) than the Panasonic ZS7 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7 (Lumix DMC-TZ10) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80 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's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony WX80's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80: 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, Sony WX80 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor.

Below you can see the ZS7 and WX80 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 Cameras

Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS7 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony WX80 features a 28-224 mm F3.3-8.0 8x zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS7 has 3mm wider coverage than the Sony WX80. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.30 at the wide end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS7 has 76mm longer reach than the Sony WX80. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS7

WX80

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS7 and Sony WX80 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

Sony WX80 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony WX80 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
Face-Detection Focusing
28 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

Panasonic ZS7 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony WX80 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
224 mm Tele Lens
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
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f8.00
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony WX80 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

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
124g
Body Thickness 22mm
8.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony WX80 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

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS7 vs Sony WX80: 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 Sony WX80, 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 Sony WX80 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

Sony WX80

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #193 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #759 out of 1226 in all Cameras

Sony WX80 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS7 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Sony WX80 vs Panasonic ZS7 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX80
Brand	Panasonic	Sony
Announced	2011-07-19	2013-01-08
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	27.72mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	28-224 mm (8x)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.3-8.0
Macro Focus Range	3cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	2.7"
Resolution	460k 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	4.20 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	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	218g	124g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	92 x 52 x 22mm
Battery Life	n/a	240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	Built-in	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction