Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony NEX-3N

Following is a in-depth review of the Panasonic ZR3 versus Sony NEX-3N, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the ZR3 (14MP) and the NEX-3N (16MP) is fairly comparable but the ZR3 (1/2.3") and NEX-3N (APS-C) use totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The ZR3 was revealed 4 years earlier than the NEX-3N which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3N being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving in to a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple summation of how the ZR3 grades against the NEX-3N in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Sony Alpha NEX-3N. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Sony NEX-3N Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera often, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic ZR3 enjoys physical dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3N has specifications of 110mm x 62mm x 35mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.4") along with a weight of 269 grams (0.59 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZR3 versus Sony NEX-3N in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you use at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the ZR3 against the NEX-3N.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZR3 and NEX-3N is 94 and 89 respectively.

Normally, its difficult to envision the gap in sensor sizes only by going through specs. The pic here will offer you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZR3 and NEX-3N.

As you can plainly see, both of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The ZR3 having a smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more difficult and the Sony NEX-3N will produce more detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will allow you to crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged ZR3 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor technology.