Panasonic FH3 vs Panasonic ZS45

Here is a thorough review of the Panasonic FH3 and Panasonic ZS45, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both offered by Panasonic. The image resolution of the FH3 (14MP) and the ZS45 (16MP) is very well matched and they possess the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was announced 6 years prior to the ZS45 and that is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before we go in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick overview of how the FH3 matches up versus the ZS45 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS45. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Panasonic ZS45 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry your camera frequently, you will need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH3 features outside dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS45 has sizing of 108mm x 60mm x 32mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 249 grams (0.55 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FH3 and Panasonic ZS45 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change depending on the lens you are employing during that time. The following is the front view proportions comparison of the FH3 compared to the ZS45.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH3 and ZS45 is 94 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to see the contrast between sensor sizing purely by looking at a spec sheet. The photograph below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH3 and ZS45.

As you can see, each of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Panasonic ZS45 to resolve greater detail with its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics much more aggressively. The older FH3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor innovation.