Panasonic FZ300 vs Panasonic ZR1

The following is a extended review of the Panasonic FZ300 vs Panasonic ZR1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are manufactured by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the FZ300 (12MP) and the ZR1 (12MP) is fairly similar and both cameras provide the same sensor sizing (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FZ300 was manufactured 6 years after the ZR1 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before going into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick overview of how the FZ300 matches up vs the ZR1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ300 Gallery and Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera often, you should take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FZ300 comes with outside measurements of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") accompanied by a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

See the Panasonic FZ300 vs Panasonic ZR1 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. Below is a front view size comparison of the FZ300 and the ZR1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FZ300 and ZR1 is 59 and 94 respectively.

Sometimes, its difficult to see the difference between sensor dimensions only by reading technical specs. The image underneath will help give you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the FZ300 and ZR1.

As you have seen, each of the cameras have the same sensor dimensions and the same MP so you should expect similar quality of photos however you should always take the release date of the products into consideration. The younger FZ300 will have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.