Panasonic SZ3 vs Sony H20

On this page, we will be reviewing the Panasonic SZ3 and Sony H20, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a noticeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the SZ3 (16MP) and H20 (10MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The SZ3 was manufactured 3 years after the H20 which is quite a sizable difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before going into a in depth comparison, here is a short summary of how the SZ3 scores versus the H20 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ3 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H20. The entire galleries are provided at Panasonic SZ3 Gallery & Sony H20 Gallery.

When you are going to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic SZ3 offers external dimensions of 95mm x 56mm x 22mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 126 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Sony H20 has sizing of 107mm x 69mm x 47mm (4.2" x 2.7" x 1.9") along with a weight of 250 grams (0.55 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic SZ3 and Sony H20 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at the time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the SZ3 compared to the H20.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the SZ3 and H20 is 96 and 87 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to visualize the contrast between sensor sizes simply by checking technical specs. The image below may provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the SZ3 and H20.

As you can tell, both of the cameras provide the same sensor dimensions albeit different megapixels. You can expect the Panasonic SZ3 to give you more detail due to its extra 6 Megapixels. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures more aggressively. The more recent SZ3 should have an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.