Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax MX-1

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic ZS3 versus Pentax MX-1, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Pentax. The sensor resolution of the ZS3 (10MP) and the MX-1 (12MP) is fairly comparable but the ZS3 (1/2.3") and MX-1 (1/1.7") posses different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The ZS3 was launched 5 years prior to the MX-1 which is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting right into a detailed comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the ZS3 grades versus the MX-1 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Pentax MX-1. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery and Pentax MX-1 Gallery.

In case you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you will need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic ZS3 offers outside measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") and a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Pentax MX-1 has sizing of 122mm x 61mm x 51mm (4.8" x 2.4" x 2.0") having a weight of 391 grams (0.86 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic ZS3 versus Pentax MX-1 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the ZS3 versus the MX-1.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the ZS3 and MX-1 is 91 and 84 respectively.

Quite often, its difficult to imagine the gap in sensor sizes simply by seeing a spec sheet. The picture below may offer you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS3 and MX-1.

Clearly, the 2 cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS3 because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh harder and the Pentax MX-1 will produce more detail utilizing its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged ZS3 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.