Panasonic ZR1 vs Sony RX10 III

The following is a detailed analysis of the Panasonic ZR1 and Sony RX10 III, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a large gap between the image resolutions of the ZR1 (12MP) and RX10 III (20MP) and the ZR1 (1/2.3") and RX10 III (1") posses different sensor size.

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The ZR1 was revealed 7 years before the RX10 III which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZR1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 III being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the ZR1 scores against the RX10 III when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 III. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZR1 Gallery & Sony RX10 III Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera often, you have to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZR1 features outside dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 158 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony RX10 III has proportions of 133mm x 94mm x 127mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 5.0") and a weight of 1051 grams (2.32 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZR1 and Sony RX10 III in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are employing at that moment. Underneath is a front view overall size comparison of the ZR1 against the RX10 III.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZR1 and RX10 III is 94 and 53 respectively.

More often than not, it can be tough to picture the gap between sensor dimensions just by reviewing specifications. The pic here may give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZR1 and RX10 III.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ZR1 using its tinier sensor is going to make getting shallow DOF tougher and the Sony RX10 III will offer you extra detail because of its extra 8MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos more aggressively. The more aged ZR1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.