Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax 645D

Let's look a little more in depth at the Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax 645D, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Pro DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Pentax. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and 645D (40MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and 645D (Medium format) use totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The ZS3 was introduced 10 months prior to the 645D so they are of a similar age. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Pentax 645D being a Large SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a more detailed comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the ZS3 grades versus the 645D with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 & Pentax 645D. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery & Pentax 645D Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera often, you will have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS3 features external measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax 645D has dimensions of 156mm x 117mm x 119mm (6.1" x 4.6" x 4.7") with a weight of 1480 grams (3.26 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax 645D in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are employing at that time. Here is the front view sizing comparison of the ZS3 versus the 645D.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the ZS3 and 645D is 91 and 50 respectively.

Generally, it can be difficult to envision the gap in sensor dimensions merely by researching technical specs. The pic underneath might offer you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS3 and 645D.

As you can tell, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS3 having a smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Pentax 645D will render more detail using its extra 30 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop images a little more aggressively. The more aged ZS3 will be disadvantaged in sensor tech.