Panasonic GF2 vs Panasonic S3

Its time to look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic GF2 and Panasonic S3, former is a Entry-Level Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are built by Panasonic. The resolution of the GF2 (12MP) and the S3 (14MP) is pretty comparable but the GF2 (Four Thirds) and S3 (1/2.3") use totally different sensor sizes.

Pentax 17 Pre-Orders Outperform Expectations by a Landslide

The GF2 was introduced 2 months after the S3 which means that they are of a similar age. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GF2 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera.

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a simple overview of how the GF2 scores vs the S3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF2 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic GF2 Gallery & Panasonic S3 Gallery.

In case you're planning to travel with your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GF2 features outer measurements of 113mm x 68mm x 33mm (4.4" x 2.7" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 310 grams (0.68 lbs) while the Panasonic S3 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GF2 and Panasonic S3 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are employing at that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the GF2 vs the S3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the GF2 and S3 is 88 and 96 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions simply by checking out technical specs. The picture here will help provide you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the GF2 and S3.

As you have seen, each of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The GF2 using its bigger sensor will make getting bokeh simpler and the Panasonic S3 will provide extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures somewhat more aggressively.