Panasonic ZR3 vs Pentax K10D

Its time to look much closer at the Panasonic ZR3 and Pentax K10D, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Pentax. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the ZR3 (14MP) and K10D (10MP) and the ZR3 (1/2.3") and K10D (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The ZR3 was announced 3 years later than the K10D and that is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax K10D being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting right into a in-depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the ZR3 grades vs the K10D with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Pentax K10D. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Pentax K10D Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZR3 enjoys outside dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") accompanied by a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) and the Pentax K10D has dimensions of 142mm x 101mm x 70mm (5.6" x 4.0" x 2.8") having a weight of 793 grams (1.75 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic ZR3 and Pentax K10D in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Here is a front view measurement comparison of the ZR3 compared to the K10D.

Looking at size and weight, the portability grade of the ZR3 and K10D is 94 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it's hard to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by checking specifications. The graphic below will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the ZR3 and K10D.

To sum up, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The ZR3 having a tinier sensor will make getting bokeh trickier and the Panasonic ZR3 will resolve extra detail with its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also make it easier to crop photos way more aggressively. The more modern ZR3 will have an edge with regard to sensor tech.