Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony QX100

In this write-up, we are reviewing the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony QX100, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Lens-style by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a significant gap between the sensor resolutions of the ZR3 (14MP) and QX100 (20MP) and the ZR3 (1/2.3") and QX100 (1") use totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The ZR3 was released 4 years earlier than the QX100 which is quite a sizable gap as far as technology is concerned. Both the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony QX100 being a Lens-style camera.

Before we go through a detailed comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the ZR3 grades against the QX100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX100. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Sony QX100 Gallery.

For those who are planning to carry around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and size. The Panasonic ZR3 enjoys external dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 26mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.0") having a weight of 159 grams (0.35 lbs) whilst the Sony QX100 has specifications of 63mm x 63mm x 56mm (2.5" x 2.5" x 2.2") having a weight of 179 grams (0.39 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony QX100 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select at the time. Below is the front view measurements comparison of the ZR3 compared to the QX100.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability score of the ZR3 and QX100 is 94 and 92 respectively.

Typically, its difficult to envision the contrast between sensor sizes simply by reading through a spec sheet. The pic here will help provide you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZR3 and QX100.

Clearly, both the cameras offer different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZR3 because of its tinier sensor will make getting shallow depth of field more difficult and the Sony QX100 will give you more detail as a result of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more aged ZR3 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.