Panasonic ZS200 vs Canon 6D

The Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 (called Panasonic TZ200 in some regions) and the Canon EOS 6D are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in February 2018 and September 2012. The ZS200 is a fixed lens compact, while the 6D is a DSLR. The cameras are based on an one-inch (ZS200) and a full frame (6D) sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 20 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic ZS200		Canon 6D
Fixed lens compact camera		Digital single lens reflex
24-360mm f/3.3-6.4		Canon EF mount lenses
20 MP – 1" sensor		20 MP – Full Frame sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)		ISO 100-25,600 (50 - 102,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2330k dots)		Optical viewfinder
3.0" LCD – 1240k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed touchscreen		Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)
10 shutter flaps per second		4.5 shutter flaps per second
In-body stabilization		Lens stabilization only
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
370 shots per battery charge		1090 shots per battery charge
111 x 65 x 45 mm, 340 g		145 x 111 x 71 mm, 770 g

Check ZS200 price at
amazon.com
Check 6D offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 and the Canon EOS 6D? 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Panasonic ZS200 and the Canon 6D is provided 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZS200 can be obtained in two different colors (black, silver), while the 6D is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Canon 6D is considerably larger (123 percent) than the Panasonic ZS200. It is noteworthy in this context that the 6D is splash and dust-proof, while the ZS200 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the ZS200 has a lens built in, whereas the 6D is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the 6D and their specifications in the Canon EF Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the ZS200 gets 370 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLG10 battery, while the 6D can take 1090 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6 power pack. The power pack in the ZS200 can be charged via the USB port, so that it is not always necessary to take the battery charger along when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic ZS200	111 mm	65 mm	45 mm	340 g	370	n	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D	145 mm	111 mm	71 mm	770 g	1090	Y	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	158 mm	168 mm	83 mm	1530 g	1210	Y	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	152 mm	116 mm	76 mm	930 g	700	Y	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	144 mm	111 mm	75 mm	765 g	1200	Y	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	149 mm	112 mm	78 mm	910 g	670	Y	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	139 mm	104 mm	79 mm	755 g	920	Y	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	810 g	350	n	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	124 mm	72 mm	47 mm	407 g	260	n	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX10	106 mm	60 mm	42 mm	310 g	260	n	Sep 2016	699	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic ZS100	111 mm	65 mm	44 mm	312 g	300	n	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
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The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The ZS200 was launched at a lower price than the 6D, despite having a lens built in. 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

Sensor comparison

The imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic ZS200 features an one-inch sensor and the Canon 6D a full frame sensor. The sensor area in the 6D is 645 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 2.7 and 1.0. Both cameras have a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 3:2.

Even though the 6D has a larger sensor, both cameras offer the same resolution of 20 megapixels. This implies that the 6D has a lower pixel density and larger individual pixels (with a pixel pitch of 6.57μm versus 2.41μm for the ZS200), which gives it a potential advantage in terms of light gathering capacity. It should, however, be noted that the ZS200 is much more recent (by 5 years and 4 months) than the 6D, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that at least partly compensate for the smaller pixel size.

The Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon EOS 6D are ISO 100 to ISO 25600, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 50-102400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. 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.		Panasonic ZS200	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.0	12.2	449	64
2.		Canon 6D	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	23.8	12.1	2340	82
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Full Frame	20.0	5472	3648	4K/60p	24.1	13.5	3207	88
4.		Canon 5DS	Full Frame	50.3	8688	5792	1080/30p	24.7	12.4	2381	87
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Full Frame	26.0	6240	4160	1080/60p	24.4	11.9	2862	85
6.		Canon 7D II	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	22.4	11.8	1082	70
7.		Canon 70D	APS-C	20.0	5472	3648	1080/30p	22.5	11.6	926	68
8.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
9.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
10.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
12.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
13.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
14.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	546	65
15.		Panasonic GX9	Four Thirds	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	23.1	12.8	1163	74
16.		Panasonic LX10	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	581	70
17.		Panasonic ZS100	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.5	559	70
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the ZS200 provides a higher video resolution than the 6D. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the ZS200 has an electronic viewfinder (2330k dots), while the 6D has an optical one. Both systems have their advantages, with the electronic viewfinder making it possible to project supplementary shooting information into the framing view, whereas the optical viewfinder offers lag-free viewing and a very clear framing image. The viewfinder in the ZS200 offers a wider field of view (100%) than the one in the 6D (97%), so that a larger proportion of the captured image is visible in the finder. On the other hand, the viewfinder of the 6D has a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x), so that the size of the image transmitted appears closer to the size seen with the naked human eye. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic ZS200, the Canon 6D, and comparable cameras.

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.		Panasonic ZS200	2330	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon 6D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	4.5/s	n	n
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	optical	Y	3.2 / 1620	fixed	Y	1/8000s	16.0/s	n	n
4.		Canon 5DS	optical	Y	3.2 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	5.0/s	n	n
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.5/s	n	n
6.		Canon 7D II	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/8000s	10.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon 70D	optical	Y	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	7.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
9.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
10.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic GX9	2760	n	3.0 / 1240	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic ZS100	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The ZS200 has one, while the 6D does not. While the built-in flash of the ZS200 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 ZS200 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).

The Panasonic ZS200 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the ZS200 and the 6D write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

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 Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200 and Canon EOS 6D 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.		Panasonic ZS200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Canon 6D	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	Y	mono / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon 5DS	Y	mono / mono	Y	-	mini	3.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon 7D II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	3.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon 70D	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
8.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
15.		Panasonic GX9	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
16.		Panasonic LX10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Panasonic ZS100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-

It is notable that the 6D has a microphone port, which can help to improve the quality of audio recordings by attaching an external microphone. The ZS200 does not feature such a mic input.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the 6D has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

The ZS200 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the 6D has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the 6D was succeeded by the Canon 6D Mark II. Further information on the features and operation of the ZS200 and 6D can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic ZS200 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon 6D Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Which of the two cameras – the Panasonic ZS200 or the Canon 6D – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-ZS200:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/30p).
• More framing info: Has an electronic viewfinder that displays shooting data.
• More complete view: Has a viewfinder with a larger field of view (100% vs 97%).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1240k vs 1040k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 4.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Comes with a built-in lens, while the 6D requires a separate lens.
• More compact: Is smaller (111x65mm vs 145x111mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter even though it comes with a built-in lens (unlike the 6D).
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More modern: Reflects 5 years and 4 months of technical progress since the 6D launch.

Reasons to prefer the Canon EOS 6D:

• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• Brighter framing: Features an optical viewfinder for clear, lag-free composition.
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.71x vs 0.53x).
• Easier setting verification: Features a control panel on top to check shooting parameters.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Makes it possible to change lenses and thus to use specialty optics.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (1090 versus 370) out of a single battery charge.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• Easier geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZS200 is the clear winner of the match-up (17 : 11 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding 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 Panasonic ZS200 and the Canon 6D place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best DSLR Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the ZS200 and the 6D 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 why expert reviews are important. 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 (USD)	Street Price
1.		Panasonic ZS200	..	+ +	4.5/5	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	799	amazon.com
2.		Canon 6D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	2,099	ebay.com
3.		Canon 1D X Mark II	..	..	4.5/5	89/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	5,999	ebay.com
4.		Canon 5DS	..	+	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2015	3,699	ebay.com
5.		Canon 6D Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	80/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2017	1,999	amazon.com
6.		Canon 7D II	4.5/5	+	3.5/5	84/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	1,799	ebay.com
7.		Canon 70D	5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jul 2013	1,199	ebay.com
8.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	799	ebay.com
9.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	899	ebay.com
10.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	699	ebay.com
11.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	699	ebay.com
12.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	749	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	..	..	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	899	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic GX9	4/5	+	4/5	84/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2018	849	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX10	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2016	699	amazon.com
17.		Panasonic ZS100	4.5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2016	699	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

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