Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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Canon N

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Canon. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Canon N was launched in January 2013. As you can see, ZS3 is 4 years older than N. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Canon N has a 12.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-05-14

10MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

229g. 103 x 60 x 33 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ7

Canon N Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-07

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

28-224 mm F3.0-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.8" Tilting Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

195g. 79 x 60 x 29 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Canon PowerShot N

LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.8"	0.2 inches larger display
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 224mm	76 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 8×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot N over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Weight	195 g vs 229 g	34 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	3.00 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Sensor Pixel Area	3.12µm² vs 2.78µm²	12% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video
Selfie & Vlogger Friendly LCD	Yes vs No	Rotate LCD for taking Selfies

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Canon PowerShot N

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 224mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Canon PowerShot N

External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.8"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 2.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N: 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 ZS3 and Canon N side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic ZS3 has external dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3″) and weighs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz) (including batteries). Canon N has external dimensions of 79 x 60 x 29 mm (3.11 x 2.36 x 1.14″) and weighs 195 g (0.43 lb / 6.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N. Panasonic ZS3 has the same height with Canon N. On the other hand, with a width of 103mm, it is 24 wider and also with a thickness of 33mm, it is 4mm thicker than Canon N.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon N is significantly lighter (34g ) than the Panasonic ZS3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Canon PowerShot N 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

Panasonic ZS3's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Canon N's 2.8" screen.

On the other hand, Canon N LCD screen has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Panasonic ZS3 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to N.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Canon N has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor and features Digic 5 processor.

Below you can see the ZS3 and N sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N Cameras

Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Canon N features a 28-224 mm F3.0-5.9 8× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS3 has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon N. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.00, Canon N is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 76mm longer reach than the Canon N. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Canon N 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 ZS3 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon N for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
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
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 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

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon N for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
Small Body
Live-view
Tilting LCD Screen
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon N for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
300 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Wireless Connection
224 mm Tele Lens
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
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
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon N for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
229g
12.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
195g
8.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon N for Landscape Photography

POOR

25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon N: 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 ZS3 and Canon N, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 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 ZS3 and Canon N scores compare:

Panasonic ZS3

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #342 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #996 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon N

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #272 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #885 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon N is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS3 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic ZS3

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Canon N

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Canon N vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Canon PowerShot N
Brand	Panasonic	Canon
Announced	2009-05-14	2013-01-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	27.72mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4000 x 2248
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 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	25-300 mm (12×)	28-224 mm (8×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.0-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3"	2.8"
Resolution	460k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	n/a
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	2.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
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	229g	195g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	79 x 60 x 29mm
Battery Life	n/a	200 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction