Panasonic GX850 vs Panasonic ZR3

Following is a thorough overview of the Panasonic GX850 versus Panasonic ZR3, one is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both offered by Panasonic. The resolution of the GX850 (16MP) and the ZR3 (14MP) is relatively close but the GX850 (Four Thirds) and ZR3 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The GX850 was introduced 7 years after the ZR3 which is a fairly large gap as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic GX850 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera and the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera.

Before going right into a complete comparison, here is a short overview of how the GX850 scores versus the ZR3 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-GX850 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic GX850 Gallery and Panasonic ZR3 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic GX850 enjoys physical measurements of 107mm x 65mm x 33mm (4.2" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs) while the Panasonic ZR3 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic GX850 versus Panasonic ZR3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. The following is a front view size comparison of the GX850 compared to the ZR3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the GX850 and ZR3 is 90 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes merely by looking through specs. The image underneath will help give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the GX850 and ZR3.

All in all, each of these cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The GX850 having a bigger sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field simpler and the Panasonic GX850 will provide you with extra detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The more modern GX850 is going to have an edge with regard to sensor technology.