Panasonic LX100 vs Panasonic S3

Its time to take a deeper look at the Panasonic LX100 and Panasonic S3, one being a Large Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Compact and they are both manufactured by Panasonic. The resolution of the LX100 (13MP) and the S3 (14MP) is pretty close but the LX100 (Four Thirds) and S3 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor sizes.

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The LX100 was launched 3 years later than the S3 and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic LX100 being a Large Sensor Compact camera and the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summary of how the LX100 matches up vs the S3 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic LX100 Gallery and Panasonic S3 Gallery.

If you are aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you will need to consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic LX100 features physical measurements of 115mm x 66mm x 55mm (4.5" x 2.6" x 2.2") with a weight of 393 grams (0.87 lbs) while the Panasonic S3 has proportions of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") accompanied by a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic LX100 and Panasonic S3 in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using at that time. The following is a front view overall size comparison of the LX100 against the S3.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the LX100 and S3 is 83 and 96 respectively.

Normally, it is very difficult to envision the contrast in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The photograph underneath will provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the LX100 and S3.

As you can see, both of those cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The LX100 due to its bigger sensor will make getting shallower depth of field simpler and the Panasonic S3 will provide you with more detail utilizing its extra 1 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots a good deal more aggressively. The more recent LX100 is going to have an advantage in sensor technology.