Panasonic ZS50 vs Sony NEX-3

Following is a detailed overview of the Panasonic ZS50 versus Sony NEX-3, former is a Small Sensor Superzoom while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the ZS50 (12MP) and the NEX-3 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the ZS50 (1/2.3") and NEX-3 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The ZS50 was revealed 4 years after the NEX-3 which is quite a serious difference as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before diving straight to a detailed comparison, here is a short overview of how the ZS50 scores against the NEX-3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 & Sony Alpha NEX-3. The full galleries are available at Panasonic ZS50 Gallery & Sony NEX-3 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic ZS50 enjoys outer dimensions of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") with a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs) while the Sony NEX-3 has dimensions of 117mm x 62mm x 33mm (4.6" x 2.4" x 1.3") accompanied by a weight of 297 grams (0.65 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic ZS50 versus Sony NEX-3 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the ZS50 and the NEX-3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the ZS50 and NEX-3 is 90 and 89 respectively.

Sometimes, it's hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizes just by reading through specifications. The picture here may offer you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the ZS50 and NEX-3.

Plainly, both of the cameras come with different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The ZS50 using its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallower depth of field more challenging and the Sony NEX-3 will give greater detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images a good deal more aggressively. The newer ZS50 provides an edge with regard to sensor technology.