Panasonic S3 vs Sony RX100 III

Let's look much closer at the Panasonic S3 vs Sony RX100 III, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Large Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference among the image resolutions of the S3 (14MP) and RX100 III (20MP) and the S3 (1/2.3") and RX100 III (1") provide different sensor size.

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The S3 was unveiled 4 years prior to the RX100 III which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX100 III being a Large Sensor Compact camera.

Before getting right into a thorough comparison, here is a simple synopsis of how the S3 grades vs the RX100 III in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III. The full galleries are available at Panasonic S3 Gallery and Sony RX100 III Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera, you will want to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic S3 has got outside measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") along with a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) and the Sony RX100 III has sizing of 102mm x 58mm x 41mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.6") with a weight of 290 grams (0.64 lbs).

Check the Panasonic S3 vs Sony RX100 III in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the S3 versus the RX100 III.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the S3 and RX100 III is 96 and 89 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is hard to visualize the gap in sensor dimensions simply by seeing specifications. The picture below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the S3 and RX100 III.

To sum up, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The S3 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field harder and the Sony RX100 III will show more detail having an extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The more aged S3 will be behind in sensor innovation.