Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony A100

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony A100, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the ZR3 (14MP) and A100 (10MP) and the ZR3 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) use different sensor measurements.

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The ZR3 was revealed 3 years after the A100 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the ZR3 scores versus the A100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

When you are aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZR3 features outside measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") and a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony A100 has measurements of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony A100 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Here is the front view over all size comparison of the ZR3 vs the A100.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the ZR3 and A100 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to picture the difference in sensor dimensions merely by going through technical specs. The pic below will help give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the ZR3 and A100.

As you have seen, the 2 cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor dimensions. The ZR3 using its smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic ZR3 will show extra detail because of its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop photographs a little more aggressively. The fresher ZR3 provides a benefit with regard to sensor innovation.