Canon SX420 vs Panasonic ZS80

The Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 (labelled Panasonic TZ95 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in January 2016 and February 2019. Both the SX420 and the ZS80 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 19.9 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 20.2 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon SX420		Panasonic ZS80
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6		24-720mm f/3.3-6.4
19.9 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
720/25p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-1,600		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (2330k dots)
3.0" LCD – 230k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting touchscreen
0.5 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
195 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
104 x 69 x 85 mm, 325 g		112 x 69 x 42 mm, 327 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The physical size and weight of the Canon SX420 and the Panasonic ZS80 are illustrated in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All size dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The SX420 can be obtained in two different colors (black, red), while the ZS80 is also available in two color-versions, but different ones (black, silver).

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic ZS80 is notably larger (8 percent) than the Canon SX420. Moreover, the ZS80 is slightly heavier (1 percent) than the SX420. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the SX420 nor the ZS80 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the SX420 gets 195 shots out of its Canon NB-11LH battery, while the ZS80 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 power pack. The power pack in the ZS80 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX420	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	195	n	Jan 2016	EUR 299	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic ZS80	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	325 g	185	n	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	104 mm	69 mm	85 mm	323 g	195	n	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX610	105 mm	61 mm	27 mm	191 g	270	n	Jan 2015	EUR 249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	97 mm	57 mm	28 mm	182 g	295	n	May 2016	EUR 269	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	113 mm	66 mm	35 mm	269 g	230	n	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX720	110 mm	64 mm	36 mm	270 g	250	n	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm XF10	113 mm	64 mm	41 mm	279 g	330	n	Jul 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The listed launch prices provide an indication of the market segment that the manufacturer of the cameras have been targeting. The SX420 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 33 percent) than the ZS80, which puts it into a different market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the imaging sensor is a crucial determinant of image quality. A large sensor will tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the ZS80 offers a slightly higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 19.9 MP of the SX420. This megapixels advantage translates into a 0.59999999999999 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the ZS80 has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.19μm for the SX420). However, it should be noted that the ZS80 is much more recent (by 3 years and 1 month) than the SX420, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The Canon PowerShot SX420 IS has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 1600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the SX420 is build around a CCD sensor, while the ZS80 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. This service determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon SX420	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.3	11.7	806	48
2.		Panasonic ZS80	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
3.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Canon SX410	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.2	11.6	720	47
7.		Canon SX430	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/25p	20.5	11.9	900	49
8.		Canon SX610	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.2	11.6	712	47
9.		Canon SX620	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.4	11.8	838	49
10.		Canon SX710	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	712	47
11.		Canon SX720	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.3	11.8	817	48
12.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
13.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
14.		Fujifilm XF10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/15p	24.0	13.4	1844	83
15.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
16.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the ZS80 provides a better video resolution than the SX420. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 720/25p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the ZS80 has an electronic viewfinder (2330k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the SX420 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon SX420 and Panasonic ZS80 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon SX420	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic ZS80	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon SX410	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX430	none	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	0.5/s	Y	Y
8.		Canon SX610	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon SX620	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/2000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon SX710	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	6.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX720	none	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Fujifilm XF10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The ZS80 has a touchscreen, while the SX420 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the ZS80 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Both the SX420 and the ZS80 have zoom lenses built in. The SX420 has a 24-1008mm f/3.5-6.6 optic and the ZS80 offers a 24-720mm f/3.3-6.4 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Canon and Panasonic provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Panasonic has less tele-photo reach at the long end. The ZS80 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the SX420 and the ZS80 write their files to SDXC cards. The ZS80 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the SX420 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS and Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon SX420	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
2.		Panasonic ZS80	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
3.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX410	-	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX430	-	mono / mono	-	-	-	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Canon SX610	-	- / -	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon SX620	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Canon SX710	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX720	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Fujifilm XF10	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

Both the SX420 and the ZS80 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The SX420 was replaced by the Canon SX430, while the ZS80 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the SX420 and ZS80 can be found, respectively, in the Canon SX420 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic ZS80 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is there a clear favorite between the Canon SX420 and the Panasonic ZS80? Which camera is better? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon PowerShot SX420 IS:

• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (33 percent cheaper at launch).
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in January 2016).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS80:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 720/25p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 230k dots).
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 0.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/3.3 vs f/3.5).
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (380 versus 195) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 1 month of technical progress since the SX420 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the ZS80 is the clear winner of the contest (14 : 5 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon SX420 and the Panasonic ZS80 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the SX420 and the ZS80 in practical situations. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon SX420	..	..	..	..	..	3/5	Jan 2016	EUR 299	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic ZS80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	EUR 789	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 685	ebay.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX410	..	o	..	..	..	..	Feb 2015	EUR 279	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX430	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Jan 2017	EUR 299	ebay.com
8.		Canon SX610	..	..	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jan 2015	EUR 249	ebay.com
9.		Canon SX620	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	May 2016	EUR 269	ebay.com
10.		Canon SX710	..	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Jan 2015	EUR 299	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX720	..	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	EUR 329	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
14.		Fujifilm XF10	..	..	4/5	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2018	EUR 499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	EUR 429	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 429	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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