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Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3

Portability
89
Imaging
48
Features
54
Overall
50
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 front
 
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 front
Portability
94
Imaging
36
Features
26
Overall
32

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Key Specs

Panasonic GF5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - Four Thirds Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 160 - 12800
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • Micro Four Thirds Mount
  • 267g - 108 x 67 x 37mm
  • Launched April 2012
  • Earlier Model is Panasonic GF3
  • Newer Model is Panasonic GF6
Panasonic ZR3
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 25-200mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 159g - 98 x 55 x 26mm
  • Announced January 2010
  • Also referred to as Lumix DMC-ZX3
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Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Overview

Its time to take a more detailed look at the Panasonic GF5 and Panasonic ZR3, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and both are created by Panasonic. The image resolution of the GF5 (12MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the GF5 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The GF5 was introduced 2 years after the ZR3 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic GF5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a detailed comparison, here is a simple overview of how the GF5 scores versus the ZR3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic GF5 over the Panasonic ZR3

 GF5 ZR3 
AnnouncedApril 2012January 2010Newer by 27 months
Focus manually Very precise focus
Screen size3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution920k230kCrisper screen (+690k dot)
Touch friendly screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Panasonic ZR3 over the Panasonic GF5

 ZR3 GF5 

Common features in the Panasonic GF5 and Panasonic ZR3

 GF5 ZR3 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither offers selfie screen

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Physical Comparison

For those who are looking to travel with your camera regularly, you'll have to factor its weight and volume. The Panasonic GF5 offers exterior measurements of 108mm x 67mm x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") along with a weight of 267 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR3 has sizing of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic GF5 and Panasonic ZR3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at the time. The following is a front view scale comparison of the GF5 vs the ZR3.

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 size comparison

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the GF5 and ZR3 is 89 and 94 respectively.

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Sensor Comparison

More often than not, its hard to see the gap between sensor dimensions purely by looking at a spec sheet. The pic below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the GF5 and ZR3.

As you can see, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The GF5 using its bigger sensor will make shooting bokeh less difficult and the Panasonic ZR3 will resolve more detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop pictures way more aggressively. The fresher GF5 will have a benefit in sensor tech.

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 sensor size comparison

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Portrait photography details
Panasonic ZR3 Portrait photography details
55
you can focus manually
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides face detect focusing
exports RAW files
can't use external flash
resolution not great (12MP)
28
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
lack of manual mode
no external flash support
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Panasonic GF5
Street photography with Panasonic ZR3
70
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
comes with focus by touch
no moving screen
lack of image stabilization
56
image stabilization (Optical)
no articulating screen
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic GF5 as a Sports photography camera
Panasonic ZR3 as a Sports photography camera
40
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
provides tracking focus
painfully slow continuous shooting (4.0 frames/s)
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
lack of phase detect AF
36
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (14MP)
features tracking autofocus
low max shutter speed (1/1,300s)
max fps very slow (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect autofocus
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic GF5
Travel photography with Panasonic ZR3
61
comes with focus by touch
has built in flash
lack of Time Lapse recording
resolution not great (12MP)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
64
sensor resolution is decent (14MP)
flash built-in
reasonably wide (25mm)
does not have Time Lapse function
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic GF5 Landscape photography information
Panasonic ZR3 Landscape photography information
59
you can focus manually
switch lenses (Micro Four Thirds mount)
nice screen size (3")
decent sensor size (Four Thirds)
exports RAW files
lack of image stabilization
resolution not great (12 megapixels)
lack of Time Lapse recording
37
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
sensor resolution is decent (14 megapixels)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
screen is somewhat small (2.7")
lack of manual mode
tiny sensor size (1/2.3")
does not have RAW format
does not have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic GF5
Vlogging with Panasonic ZR3
32
touchscreen capability
provides face detect focusing
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
doesn't have selfie friendly display
lack of image stabilization
lack of mic jack
29
reasonably wide (25mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
somewhat slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
doesn't contain selfie friendly screen
low quality video (1280 x 720 resolution)
does not have external mic jack
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Panasonic GF5 vs Panasonic ZR3 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic GF5 and Panasonic ZR3
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
General Information
Brand Name Panasonic Panasonic
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF5 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
Also referred to as - Lumix DMC-ZX3
Category Entry-Level Mirrorless Small Sensor Compact
Launched 2012-04-05 2010-01-26
Body design Rangefinder-style mirrorless Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by Venus Engine FHD Venus Engine HD II
Sensor type CMOS CCD
Sensor size Four Thirds 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 17.3 x 13mm 6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor area 224.9mm² 27.7mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 14 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 4320 x 3240
Max native ISO 12800 6400
Minimum native ISO 160 80
RAW pictures
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 23 11
Lens
Lens mount type Micro Four Thirds fixed lens
Lens zoom range - 25-200mm (8.0x)
Max aperture - f/3.3-5.9
Macro focusing range - 3cm
Number of lenses 107 -
Crop factor 2.1 5.9
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen diagonal 3 inch 2.7 inch
Screen resolution 920k dot 230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology TFT Color LCD with wide-viewing angle -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None None
Features
Slowest shutter speed 60 seconds 60 seconds
Maximum shutter speed 1/4000 seconds 1/1300 seconds
Continuous shooting speed 4.0 frames per second 2.0 frames per second
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Exposure compensation Yes -
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 6.30 m 5.30 m
Flash settings Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Syncro
External flash
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Maximum flash sync 1/160 seconds -
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 50 fps), 1280 x 720p (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
Max video resolution 1920x1080 1280x720
Video file format MPEG-4, AVCHD AVCHD Lite
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 267 grams (0.59 lbs) 159 grams (0.35 lbs)
Physical dimensions 108 x 67 x 37mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.5") 98 x 55 x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating 50 not tested
DXO Color Depth rating 20.5 not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating 10.0 not tested
DXO Low light rating 573 not tested
Other
Battery life 360 pictures -
Battery format Battery Pack -
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec, 10 sec (3 images)) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
Storage slots 1 1
Launch price $600 $280