Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic ZR3

Following is a in-depth review of the Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic ZR3, one is a Advanced Mirrorless and the other is a Small Sensor Compact and both are designed by Panasonic. The image resolution of the GH2 (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the GH2 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") enjoy totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The GH2 was manufactured 15 months after the ZR3 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic GH2 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving through a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick overview of how the GH2 scores versus the ZR3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH2 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic GH2 Gallery and Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry around your camera often, you will want to factor its weight and measurements. The Panasonic GH2 features external measurements of 124mm x 90mm x 76mm (4.9" x 3.5" x 3.0") along with a weight of 442 grams (0.97 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR3 has proportions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic GH2 vs Panasonic ZR3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the GH2 vs the ZR3.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the GH2 and ZR3 is 70 and 94 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is tough to visualise the gap between sensor sizes purely by checking technical specs. The image below will offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the GH2 and ZR3.

As you can tell, both the cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The GH2 because of its larger sensor will make getting shallower DOF easier and the Panasonic GH2 will give extra detail due to its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos much more aggressively. The fresher GH2 is going to have a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.