CameraDecision
  • CAMERAS
    • All Cameras
    • Cameras by Brand
      • Sony Cameras
      • Canon Cameras
      • Nikon Cameras
      • Pentax Cameras
      • Fujifilm Cameras
      • Olympus Cameras
      • Panasonic Cameras
      • Leica Cameras
      • Samsung Cameras
    • Cameras by Body Type
      • Mirrorless Cameras
      • DSLR Cameras
      • Compact Cameras
      • Bridge Cameras
      • Waterproof Cameras
  • LENSES
    • All Lenses
    • Lenses by Mount
      • Sony E Mount Lenses
      • Canon RF Mount Lenses
      • Nikon Z Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF M Mount Lenses
      • Canon EF S Mount Lenses
      • Nikon F Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm X Mount Lenses
      • Micro Four Thirds Mount Lenses
      • Leica L Mount Lenses
      • Pentax KAF Mount Lenses
      • Fujifilm G Mount Lenses
      • Sigma SA Mount Lenses
      • Sony Alpha Mount Lenses
    • Teleconverters
  • TOOLS
    • Cameras
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
    • Lenses
      • Smart Find
      • 1-on-1 Comparison
  • BLOG

Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Comparison

x
Camera to replace
Change

Panasonic ZR3

14 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

Panasonic ZR3
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Change

Samsung EX2F

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

Samsung EX2F
CHECK PRICE
CHECK PRICE
Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZR3 and EX2F, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Samsung. Panasonic ZR3 was introduced to market in January 2010 and Samsung EX2F was launched in December 2012. As you can see, ZR3 is 2 years older than EX2F. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZR3 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-01-26
  • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • 25-200 mm F3.3-5.9 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.70" Fixed Type Screen
  • 2.0fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 159g. 98 x 55 x 26 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-ZX3

Samsung EX2F Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-12-18
  • 12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 3200
  • 24-80 mm F1.4-2.7 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3.00" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 10.0fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 294g. 112 x 62 x 29 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.


Related Blog Posts

Sony FE 100-400 E vs Canon 100-500 RF vs Nikon Z 100-400 vs Canon RF 100-400 Lens Size Comparison
Tamron 17-70 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-55 F2.8 vs Fujifilm 16-80 F4 vs Fujifilm 18-55 F2.8-4 Lens Size and Specs Comparison
Todays Deals: Samyang 12mm F2 for $399, Bolt Flashes for $49 and more
Panasonic GH6 Update Brings 4K 120 FPS RAW Recording
Cameras with Stacked Sensors and No Blackout Viewfinders in 2022
Todays Deals: Tripod, Microphone and more
New Sony E 10-20mm F4 PZ G vs Sony 16-35mm F4 PZ G Power Zoom Lens Comparison: APS-C is alive!
Review: SmallRig AD-01 Heavy-Duty Tripod with Fluid Head


**This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 over Samsung EX2F
Max Sensor Resolution
14 MP vs 12 MP 16% more pixels
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/1300s vs 1/1/4000s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
159 g vs 294 g 135 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele
200mm vs 80mm 120 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
8× vs 3.3× more flexible focal coverage
CHECK ZR3 PRICE


Reasons to choose Samsung EX2F over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Fully Articulated vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7 0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
640k dots vs 230k dots 178% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
1.40 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
2.70 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
7.m vs 5.3m 2.5m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video
AE Bracketing
Yes vs No Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD
Yes vs No Rotate LCD for taking Selfies
CHECK EX2F PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Samsung EX2F
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 and Samsung EX2F
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZR3 has external dimensions of 98 x 55 x 26 mm (3.86 x 2.17 x 1.02″) and weighs 159 g (0.35 lb / 5.61 oz) (including batteries). Samsung EX2F has external dimensions of 112 x 62 x 29 mm (4.41 x 2.44 x 1.14″) and weighs 294 g (0.65 lb / 10.37 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F. Panasonic ZR3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 14mm narrower, 7mm shorter and 3mm thinner than Samsung EX2F.

Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F.
Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZR3 is significantly lighter (135g ) than the Samsung EX2F which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 (Lumix DMC-ZX3) nor Samsung EX2F provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Samsung EX2F's 3.00" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic ZR3's 2.7 screen.

Moreover, Samsung EX2F sports a Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over the head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Panasonic ZR3 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to EX2F.
Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZR3 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine HD II processor. On the other hand, Samsung EX2F has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZR3 and EX2F sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F Cameras


As seen above, Samsung EX2F has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZR3. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZR3 features a 25-200 mm F3.3-5.9 8× zoom lens whereas Samsung EX2F features a 24-80 mm F1.4-2.7 3.3× zoom lens.

Samsung EX2F has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZR3. At f1.40, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZR3 has 120mm longer reach than the Samsung EX2F. However, with a max aperture of f2.70, Samsung EX2F is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZR3
EX2F
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Panasonic ZR3 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Samsung EX2F for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZR3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung EX2F for Street Photography

EXCELLENT
Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.40
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZR3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Samsung EX2F for Sports Photography

POOR
Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
200 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1300s
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details
Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Wireless Connection
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1/4000s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
80 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZR3 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Samsung EX2F for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
Compact Body
159g
8.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
294g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
3.3X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic ZR3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Samsung EX2F for Landscape Photography

POOR
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZR3 vs Samsung EX2F: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Panasonic ZR3 and Samsung EX2F scores compare:

Panasonic ZR3
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #344 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #1017 out of 1243 in all Cameras
Samsung EX2F
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #23 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #367 out of 1243 in all Cameras

Samsung EX2F is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZR3 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZR3. Otherwise, Samsung EX2F is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZR3
Panasonic ZR3
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Samsung EX2F
Samsung EX2F
CHECK PRICE

CHECK PRICE

Samsung EX2F vs Panasonic ZR3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZR3 Samsung EX2F
Brand Panasonic Samsung
Announced 2010-01-26 2012-12-18
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/1.7-inch
Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm 7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area 27.72mm2 41.52mm2
Megapixels 14 megapixels 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4320 x 3240 4000x3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 80 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points 11 n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-200 mm (8×) 24-80 mm (3.3×)
Max Aperture F3.3-5.9 F1.4-2.7
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 2.70" 3.00"
Resolution 230k dots 640k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/1300s 1/1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m 7.8 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 10.0 fps
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720 1920 x 1080
Video Formats AVCHD Lite H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 159g 294g
Dimensions 98 x 55 x 26mm 112 x 62 x 29mm
Battery Life n/a 260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score not tested 48
DxO Color Depth not tested 20.0
DxO Dynamic Range not tested 11.5
DxO Low Light ISO not tested 209
Report a correction Report a correction


FOLLOW US


Most Popular Cameras
Sony A7 IV
33 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Sony A7R IV
61 MP | Full frame Sensor | Sony E Mount
Canon M50 II
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon EF-M Mount
Nikon Z9
46 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Canon R3
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Fujifilm GFX 100
102 MP | Medium format Sensor | Fujifilm G Mount
Fujifilm X-T30 II
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Nikon Z5
24 MP | Full frame Sensor | Nikon Z Mount
Top Rated Compact Cameras
Top Cameras Under $200
Top Compact Cameras Under $500
Top Compact Cameras Under $750
Top Compact Cameras Under $1000
Latest Cameras
Fujifilm X-H2S
26 MP | APS-C Sensor | Fujifilm X Mount
Canon R7
33 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Canon R10
24 MP | APS-C Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Ricoh WG-80
16 MP | 1/2.3 Sensor | 28-140 mm
Panasonic GH6
25 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
OM System OM-1
20 MP | Four Thirds Sensor | Micro Four Thirds Mount
Canon R5 C
45 MP | Full frame Sensor | Canon RF Mount
Sony HX99
18 MP | 1/2.3-inch Sensor | 24-720 mm
Copyright © 2022 by CameraDecision
Privacy About Contact Us SpeakerDecision

Report a Correction