Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A37

Here, we will be comparing the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A37, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and A37 (16MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A37 (APS-C) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS3 was announced 4 years before the A37 which is quite a sizable difference as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A37 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a more detailed comparison, here is a brief highlight of how the ZS3 matches up vs the A37 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 & Sony SLT-A37. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery & Sony A37 Gallery.

If you're looking to carry around your camera often, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic ZS3 enjoys outer measurements of 103mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.3") having a weight of 229 grams (0.50 lbs) while the Sony A37 has specifications of 124mm x 92mm x 85mm (4.9" x 3.6" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 506 grams (1.12 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic ZS3 and Sony A37 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you choose at the time. The following is a front view size comparison of the ZS3 against the A37.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the ZS3 and A37 is 91 and 67 respectively.

Usually, it is difficult to envision the gap between sensor sizes purely by checking a spec sheet. The image below might offer you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the ZS3 and A37.

As you can see, both cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The ZS3 with its tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Sony A37 will give you more detail with its extra 6MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop pictures way more aggressively. The more aged ZS3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor tech.