Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony RX10

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony RX10, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Large Sensor Superzoom by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZR3 (14MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the ZR3 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") have different sensor measurements.

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The ZR3 was revealed 5 years before the RX10 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before going straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick introduction of how the ZR3 scores against the RX10 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery and Sony RX10 Gallery.

When you are planning to travel with your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZR3 has 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) while the Sony RX10 has measurements of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") having a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony RX10 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Here is a front view sizing comparison of the ZR3 versus the RX10.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability score of the ZR3 and RX10 is 94 and 58 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to picture the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The picture below should give you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the ZR3 and RX10.

As you can see, both of those cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZR3 with its tinier sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Sony RX10 will offer you greater detail because of its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop photos way more aggressively. The more aged ZR3 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.