Panasonic G85 vs Panasonic ZR3

In this article, we will be reviewing the Panasonic G85 vs Panasonic ZR3, one being a Advanced Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both of them are offered by Panasonic. The sensor resolution of the G85 (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is relatively comparable but the G85 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") feature different sensor sizes.

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The G85 was unveiled 6 years later than the ZR3 and that is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic G85 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a short highlight of how the G85 scores versus the ZR3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-G85 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic G85 Gallery and Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

If you're planning to lug around your camera often, you'll need to factor its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic G85 features external dimensions of 128mm x 89mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.5" x 2.9") and a weight of 505 grams (1.11 lbs) whilst the Panasonic ZR3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") along with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic G85 vs Panasonic ZR3 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you have at that moment. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the G85 against the ZR3.

Using size and weight, the portability grade of the G85 and ZR3 is 69 and 94 respectively.

Often, its tough to visualize the contrast in sensor measurements merely by going through specs. The visual here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the G85 and ZR3.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The G85 using its bigger sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field easier and the Panasonic G85 will provide greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures a little more aggressively. The newer G85 should have a benefit in sensor tech.