Panasonic FH3 vs Panasonic FZ1000

Here, we are evaluating the Panasonic FH3 vs Panasonic FZ1000, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference among the image resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and FZ1000 (20MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and FZ1000 (1") have totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was released 5 years prior to the FZ1000 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ1000 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going right into a full comparison, here is a brief overview of how the FH3 matches up vs the FZ1000 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ1000. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Panasonic FZ1000 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera, you will need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH3 offers exterior dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ1000 has measurements of 137mm x 99mm x 131mm (5.4" x 3.9" x 5.2") having a weight of 831 grams (1.83 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH3 vs Panasonic FZ1000 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the FH3 and the FZ1000.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the FH3 and FZ1000 is 94 and 55 respectively.

Oftentimes, its hard to envision the gap in sensor dimensions purely by viewing a spec sheet. The image below should provide you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH3 and FZ1000.

Clearly, both the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH3 featuring a smaller sensor will make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic FZ1000 will result in more detail as a result of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The more aged FH3 will be behind when it comes to sensor technology.