Panasonic ZR3 vs Sony A77

Let's look a little more in depth at the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony A77, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the ZR3 (14MP) and A77 (24MP) and the ZR3 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

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The ZR3 was revealed 21 months earlier than the A77 making them a generation apart from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic ZR3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before diving right into a more detailed comparison, here is a concise summation of how the ZR3 grades versus the A77 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 & Sony SLT-A77. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZR3 Gallery & Sony A77 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera often, you will need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic ZR3 features external measurements 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 A77 has measurements of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Check the Panasonic ZR3 and Sony A77 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have chosen at that time. The following is a front view dimensions comparison of the ZR3 vs the A77.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZR3 and A77 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizing only by looking through technical specs. The photograph here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the ZR3 and A77.

As you have seen, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZR3 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallower DOF more difficult and the Sony A77 will result in extra detail because of its extra 10MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older ZR3 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.