Panasonic G3 vs Panasonic ZR1

Let's look a little more in depth at the Panasonic G3 and Panasonic ZR1, one being a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both designed by Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap among the resolutions of the G3 (16MP) and ZR1 (12MP) and the G3 (Four Thirds) and ZR1 (1/2.3") come with different sensor measurements.

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The G3 was unveiled 24 months later than the ZR1 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic G3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the G3 grades against the ZR1 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic G3 Gallery and Panasonic ZR1 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera, you'll need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic G3 has got exterior measurements of 115mm x 84mm x 47mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 1.9") having a weight of 336 grams (0.74 lbs) and the Panasonic ZR1 has measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic G3 and Panasonic ZR1 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you select at that moment. Following is the front view measurement comparison of the G3 and the ZR1.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the G3 and ZR1 is 83 and 94 respectively.

Normally, it can be tough to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements merely by going through technical specs. The visual underneath will give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the G3 and ZR1.

As you have seen, the two cameras posses different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The G3 using its larger sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field less difficult and the Panasonic G3 will show greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will help you crop photos somewhat more aggressively. The fresher G3 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.