Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A380

Lets look a little more closely at the Panasonic ZS3 versus Sony A380, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. There exists a substantial gap between the resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and A380 (14MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS3 was released 3 months before the A380 which means that they are both of a similar age. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving straight to a step-by-step comparison, here is a simple view of how the ZS3 grades versus the A380 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry your camera often, you will have to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS3 comes with external measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") with a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) and the Sony A380 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") having a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic ZS3 versus Sony A380 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using during that time. Below is a front view measurements comparison of the ZS3 against the A380.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS3 and A380 is 91 and 68 respectively.

Normally, it can be hard to envision the gap between sensor sizing just by reading technical specs. The photograph here should offer you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the ZS3 and A380.

As you can tell, both cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The ZS3 because of its tinier sensor will make getting bokeh trickier and the Sony A380 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos a good deal more aggressively.