Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3
69 Imaging
40 Features
44 Overall
41
94 Imaging
36 Features
26 Overall
32
Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 16MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 100 - 3200
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 24-1008mm (F3.4-6.0) lens
- 441g - 120 x 82 x 92mm
- Released July 2014
- Replaced the Canon SX510 HS
- Replacement is Canon SX530 HS
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 2.7" Fixed Screen
- ISO 80 - 6400
- Optical Image Stabilization
- 1280 x 720 video
- 25-200mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
- 159g - 98 x 55 x 26mm
- Introduced January 2010
- Alternate Name is Lumix DMC-ZX3
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Lets look a bit more in depth at the Canon SX520 HS and Panasonic ZR3, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Canon and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the SX520 HS (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is pretty comparable and they use the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").
President Biden pushes bill mandating TikTok sale or banThe SX520 HS was manufactured 4 years after the ZR3 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).
Before going straight into a step-by-step comparison, below is a short introduction of how the SX520 HS grades versus the ZR3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.
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Below is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX520 HS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The entire galleries are viewable at Canon SX520 HS Gallery and Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Canon SX520 HS over the Panasonic ZR3
| SX520 HS | ZR3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Introduced | July 2014 | January 2010 | Newer by 55 months | |
| Manual focus | Very precise focusing | |||
| Screen dimension | 3" | 2.7" | Bigger screen (+0.3") | |
| Screen resolution | 461k | 230k | Sharper screen (+231k dot) |
Reasons to pick Panasonic ZR3 over the Canon SX520 HS
| ZR3 | SX520 HS |
|---|
Common features in the Canon SX520 HS and Panasonic ZR3
| SX520 HS | ZR3 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Selfie screen | No selfie screen | |||
| Touch friendly screen | Neither offers Touch friendly screen |
Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3 Physical Comparison
For those who are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will have to factor its weight and proportions. The Canon SX520 HS offers exterior measurements of 120mm x 82mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") with a weight of 441 grams (0.97 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR3 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).
Check the Canon SX520 HS and Panasonic ZR3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are working with at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimension comparison of the SX520 HS against the ZR3.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the SX520 HS and ZR3 is 69 and 94 respectively.
Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3 Sensor Comparison
In many cases, it is very hard to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions merely by seeing a spec sheet. The image below might give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the SX520 HS and ZR3.
As you can see, each of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit different resolution. You should expect the Canon SX520 HS to provide extra detail due to its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures much more aggressively. The fresher SX520 HS provides a benefit in sensor tech.
Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3 Screen and ViewFinder
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Canon SX520 HS vs Panasonic ZR3 Specifications
| Canon PowerShot SX520 HS | Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Manufacturer | Canon | Panasonic |
| Model type | Canon PowerShot SX520 HS | Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 |
| Also called | - | Lumix DMC-ZX3 |
| Type | Small Sensor Superzoom | Small Sensor Compact |
| Released | 2014-07-29 | 2010-01-26 |
| Physical type | Compact | Compact |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Powered by | Digic 4+ | Venus Engine HD II |
| Sensor type | BSI-CMOS | CCD |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | 1/2.3" |
| Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 6.08 x 4.56mm |
| Sensor surface area | 28.1mm² | 27.7mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 16 megapixel | 14 megapixel |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Max resolution | 4608 x 3456 | 4320 x 3240 |
| Max native ISO | 3200 | 6400 |
| Minimum native ISO | 100 | 80 |
| RAW files | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Touch to focus | ||
| Continuous autofocus | ||
| Single autofocus | ||
| Tracking autofocus | ||
| Selective autofocus | ||
| Autofocus center weighted | ||
| Autofocus multi area | ||
| Autofocus live view | ||
| Face detection focus | ||
| Contract detection focus | ||
| Phase detection focus | ||
| Total focus points | 9 | 11 |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | fixed lens | fixed lens |
| Lens zoom range | 24-1008mm (42.0x) | 25-200mm (8.0x) |
| Max aperture | f/3.4-6.0 | f/3.3-5.9 |
| Macro focusing range | 0cm | 3cm |
| Focal length multiplier | 5.8 | 5.9 |
| Screen | ||
| Screen type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Screen sizing | 3 inch | 2.7 inch |
| Screen resolution | 461 thousand dots | 230 thousand dots |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch friendly | ||
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | None | None |
| Features | ||
| Min shutter speed | 15 seconds | 60 seconds |
| Max shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/1300 seconds |
| Continuous shutter rate | 2.0fps | 2.0fps |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manual mode | ||
| Exposure compensation | Yes | - |
| Set white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Built-in flash | ||
| Flash distance | 5.50 m | 5.30 m |
| Flash options | Auto, on, off, slow synchro | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro |
| External flash | ||
| AE bracketing | ||
| White balance bracketing | ||
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment | ||
| Average | ||
| Spot | ||
| Partial | ||
| AF area | ||
| Center weighted | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) | 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) |
| Max video resolution | 1920x1080 | 1280x720 |
| Video data format | MPEG-4, H.264 | AVCHD Lite |
| Microphone support | ||
| Headphone support | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environmental sealing | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 441g (0.97 lbs) | 159g (0.35 lbs) |
| Dimensions | 120 x 82 x 92mm (4.7" x 3.2" x 3.6") | 98 x 55 x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO Overall rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | not tested |
| Other | ||
| Battery life | 210 shots | - |
| Battery style | Battery Pack | - |
| Battery ID | NB-6LH | - |
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 10 sec, Custom) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse feature | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC | SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal |
| Card slots | One | One |
| Launch cost | $219 | $280 |