Panasonic FZ300 vs Panasonic ZS100

Lets look closer at the Panasonic FZ300 and Panasonic ZS100, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Large Sensor Compact and they are both built by Panasonic. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the FZ300 (12MP) and ZS100 (20MP) and the FZ300 (1/2.3") and ZS100 (1") use totally different sensor measurements.

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The FZ300 was introduced 5 months before the ZS100 and they are both of a similar generation. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic ZS100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summary of how the FZ300 grades vs the ZS100 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS100. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FZ300 Gallery and Panasonic ZS100 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FZ300 features physical dimensions of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") and a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs) and the Panasonic ZS100 has sizing of 111mm x 65mm x 44mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 312 grams (0.69 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FZ300 and Panasonic ZS100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the FZ300 and the ZS100.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FZ300 and ZS100 is 59 and 87 respectively.

Typically, its hard to visualise the contrast between sensor sizing only by checking technical specs. The graphic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the FZ300 and ZS100.

As you can tell, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The FZ300 having a tinier sensor will make achieving bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic ZS100 will give extra detail using its extra 8 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also help you crop images a little more aggressively.