Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A7R III

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A7R III, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Pro Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference among the image resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and A7R III (42MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A7R III (Full frame) provide different sensor sizes.

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The ZS3 was launched 9 years prior to the A7R III and that is a fairly big gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7R III being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go into a in-depth comparison, here is a short summation of how the ZS3 matches up against the A7R III in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Alpha A7R III. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery and Sony A7R III Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you'll need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS3 features outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony A7R III has dimensions of 127mm x 96mm x 74mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.9") having a weight of 657 grams (1.45 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A7R III in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select during that time. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the ZS3 against the A7R III.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the ZS3 and A7R III is 91 and 63 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to visualize the contrast in sensor sizing just by checking out technical specs. The visual underneath may provide you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS3 and A7R III.

As you can tell, both cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS3 featuring a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony A7R III will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 32MP. Higher resolution will also allow you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The older ZS3 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.