Panasonic S3 vs Sony W550

The following is a thorough review of the Panasonic S3 versus Sony W550, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Ultracompact by brands Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the S3 (14MP) and the W550 (14MP) is fairly comparable and they use the same exact sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The S3 was unveiled 6 months prior to the W550 so they are of a similar generation. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic S3 being a Compact camera and the Sony W550 being a Ultracompact camera.

Before diving through a in depth comparison, below is a quick view of how the S3 scores against the W550 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic S3 Gallery and Sony W550 Gallery.

For those who are aiming to travel with your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic S3 features exterior measurements of 99mm x 59mm x 21mm (3.9" x 2.3" x 0.8") having a weight of 117 grams (0.26 lbs) whilst the Sony W550 has measurements of 94mm x 56mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.7") with a weight of 110 grams (0.24 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic S3 versus Sony W550 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have at the time. Underneath is the front view physical size comparison of the S3 against the W550.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability grade of the S3 and W550 is 96 and 96 respectively.

Generally, it's tough to see the difference in sensor dimensions only by going through technical specs. The image here will provide you a greater sense of the sensor measurements in the S3 and W550.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing and the same exact megapixels so you should expect comparable quality of pictures although you should consider the release date of the cameras into account.