Panasonic FH8 vs Panasonic ZS3

Lets examine more closely at the Panasonic FH8 and Panasonic ZS3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both built by Panasonic. There is a sizable difference between the sensor resolutions of the FH8 (16MP) and ZS3 (10MP) but they come with the same exact sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The FH8 was manufactured 2 years later than the ZS3 and that is quite a significant difference as far as tech is concerned. Both of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise highlight of how the FH8 grades against the ZS3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FH8 Gallery & Panasonic ZS3 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry your camera frequently, you have to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH8 offers physical measurements of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") having a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZS3 has measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FH8 and Panasonic ZS3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is the front view sizing comparison of the FH8 against the ZS3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the FH8 and ZS3 is 96 and 91 respectively.

Generally, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading through technical specs. The visual underneath will offer you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the FH8 and ZS3.

As you can tell, both the cameras enjoy the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic FH8 to resolve more detail due to its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs far more aggressively. The newer FH8 is going to have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.