Panasonic GH3 vs Panasonic XS1

Let's look closer at the Panasonic GH3 versus Panasonic XS1, former is a Advanced Mirrorless while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both produced by Panasonic. The image resolution of the GH3 (16MP) and the XS1 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the GH3 (Four Thirds) and XS1 (1/2.3") boast different sensor size.

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The GH3 was introduced 3 months prior to the XS1 so they are of a similar age. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GH3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic XS1 being a Compact camera.

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the GH3 scores versus the XS1 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GH3 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-XS1. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic GH3 Gallery & Panasonic XS1 Gallery.

In case you're going to travel with your camera, you need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic GH3 enjoys physical dimensions of 133mm x 93mm x 82mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 3.2") along with a weight of 550 grams (1.21 lbs) while the Panasonic XS1 has specifications of 94mm x 54mm x 14mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.6") and a weight of 103 grams (0.23 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic GH3 versus Panasonic XS1 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at that time. Following is a front view dimensions comparison of the GH3 against the XS1.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the GH3 and XS1 is 66 and 97 respectively.

Usually, it can be difficult to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions only by looking at specifications. The pic here will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the GH3 and XS1.

To sum up, both cameras provide the same MP albeit different sensor dimensions. The GH3 provides the bigger sensor which is going to make achieving bokeh less difficult.