Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A350

The following is a extended assessment of the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A350, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the image resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and A350 (14MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A350 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The ZS3 was launched 12 months after the A350 which means that they are of a similar age. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A350 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a in depth comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the ZS3 grades vs the A350 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A350. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery & Sony A350 Gallery.

If you are aiming to travel with your camera, you have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS3 offers outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony A350 has proportions of 131mm x 99mm x 75mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.0") accompanied by a weight of 674 grams (1.49 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A350 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will vary based on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the ZS3 vs the A350.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the ZS3 and A350 is 91 and 62 respectively.

In many cases, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor dimensions purely by going through specs. The image here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS3 and A350.

All in all, the two cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The ZS3 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony A350 will produce greater detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The newer ZS3 will have an edge with regard to sensor innovation.