Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A330

Below is a thorough assessment of the Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A330, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the ZS3 (10MP) and the A330 (10MP) is pretty close but the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A330 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The ZS3 was announced very close to the A330 and they are both of a similar generation. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A330 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a thorough comparison, below is a concise introduction of how the ZS3 scores against the A330 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A330. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery and Sony A330 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera, you should factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS3 comes with exterior measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) whilst the Sony A330 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") and a weight of 529 grams (1.17 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A330 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have during that time. Following is the front view proportions comparison of the ZS3 and the A330.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS3 and A330 is 91 and 67 respectively.

Oftentimes, its difficult to visualise the gap in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The visual underneath should give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS3 and A330.

As you can see, both of those cameras have got the exact same MP albeit not the same sensor measurements. The ZS3 provides the smaller sensor which should make achieving bokeh more difficult.