Nikon S9700 vs Panasonic ZR3

The following is a in depth assessment of the Nikon S9700 vs Panasonic ZR3, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by companies Nikon and Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the S9700 (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is relatively well matched and they possess the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The S9700 was manufactured 4 years after the ZR3 which is quite a significant difference as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a brief view of how the S9700 scores against the ZR3 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Nikon Coolpix S9700 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The entire galleries are viewable at Nikon S9700 Gallery & Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to travel with your camera often, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Nikon S9700 has external measurements of 110mm x 64mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.4") with a weight of 232 grams (0.51 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR3 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Nikon S9700 vs Panasonic ZR3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you have attached during that time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the S9700 vs the ZR3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability score of the S9700 and ZR3 is 90 and 94 respectively.

Quite often, its hard to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions simply by looking at a spec sheet. The image below might offer you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the S9700 and ZR3.

Clearly, both of these cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements albeit not the same MP. You can count on the Nikon S9700 to give more detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will enable you to crop pictures much more aggressively. The more modern S9700 will have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.