Sony HX10V has a
18.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor. On the other hand, Panasonic ZS50 has a
12.0MP (1/2. ) sized CMOS sensor .
Sony HX10V's sensor provides 6MP more than Panasonic ZS50's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely.
On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.
Below you can see the HX10V and ZS50 sensor size comparison.
As seen above, Sony HX10V has a infx Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS50. 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.