Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony A77

Here is a in depth review of the Panasonic ZS3 versus Sony A77, one being a Small Sensor Superzoom and the latter is a Advanced DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the sensor resolutions of the ZS3 (10MP) and A77 (24MP) and the ZS3 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor size.

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The ZS3 was unveiled 3 years earlier than the A77 and that is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before delving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a concise summation of how the ZS3 scores against the A77 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony SLT-A77. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic ZS3 Gallery and Sony A77 Gallery.

When you are looking to carry your camera frequently, you will want to factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic ZS3 offers exterior dimensions 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 A77 has proportions of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") with a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

See the Panasonic ZS3 versus Sony A77 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you use at that moment. Following is a front view proportions comparison of the ZS3 vs the A77.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the ZS3 and A77 is 91 and 59 respectively.

Usually, it is tough to envision the difference between sensor sizing only by reading through specifications. The photograph here will help give you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS3 and A77.

To sum up, each of the cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The ZS3 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF trickier and the Sony A77 will give greater detail having an extra 14MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop photographs a good deal more aggressively. The older ZS3 is going to be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.