Olympus SH-50 vs Panasonic ZS3

The following is a complete review of the Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic ZS3, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by rivals Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a sizable gap among the sensor resolutions of the SH-50 (16MP) and ZS3 (10MP) but they come with the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SH-50 was brought out 3 years after the ZS3 which is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the SH-50 matches up vs the ZS3 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a sample of the gallery pics for Olympus SH-50 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. The entire galleries are provided at Olympus SH-50 Gallery & Panasonic ZS3 Gallery.

When you are intending to travel with your camera regularly, you need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SH-50 comes with external dimensions of 112mm x 63mm x 42mm (4.4" x 2.5" x 1.7") with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS3 has dimensions of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Take a look at the Olympus SH-50 and Panasonic ZS3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have attached at the time. Following is the front view scale comparison of the SH-50 and the ZS3.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SH-50 and ZS3 is 88 and 91 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions purely by seeing specs. The image below should offer you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the SH-50 and ZS3.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different resolution. You can expect to see the Olympus SH-50 to show more detail having its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop images much more aggressively. The more recent SH-50 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.