Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony A500

The following is a detailed review of the Panasonic ZR3 versus Sony A500, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the ZR3 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is pretty close but the ZR3 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

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The ZR3 was unveiled 6 months after the A500 so they are of a similar generation. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going into a more detailed comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the ZR3 grades vs the A500 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Sony A500 Gallery.

If you are going to travel with your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZR3 enjoys physical dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") with a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZR3 versus Sony A500 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the ZR3 and the A500.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability rating of the ZR3 and A500 is 94 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to imagine the contrast in sensor dimensions purely by researching a spec sheet. The image below may give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the ZR3 and A500.

As you can see, both the cameras feature different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The ZR3 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Panasonic ZR3 will result in more detail having an extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively.