Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon S120 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 S120

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

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon S120 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Canon. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Canon S120 was launched in November 2013. As you can see, ZS3 is 4 years older than S120. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Canon S120 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 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 S120 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-11-26

12MP - 1/1.7-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

24-120 mm F1.8-5.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

12 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

240fps High-Speed Video

Built-in Wireless

217g. 100 x 59 x 29 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot S110 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 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 S120

Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 120mm	180 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.70	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot S120 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	12.0fps vs 2.0fps	10 fps faster
Weight	217 g vs 229 g	12 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Timelapse Recording	Yes vs No	creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage	7.0m vs 5.3m	1.7m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	3.46µm² vs 2.78µm²	24% larger pixel area
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

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Canon PowerShot S120

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-ZS3 and Canon PowerShot S120

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon S120: 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 S120 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 S120 has external dimensions of 100 x 59 x 29 mm (3.94 x 2.32 x 1.14″) and weighs 217 g (0.48 lb / 7.65 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120. Canon S120 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 3mm narrower, 1mm shorter and 4mm thinner than Panasonic ZS3.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Canon S120 is 12g lighter than the Panasonic ZS3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Canon PowerShot S120 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 and Canon S120's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Canon S120: 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 S120 has a 12.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 6 processor.

Below you can see the ZS3 and S120 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 Cameras

As seen above, Canon S120 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Panasonic ZS3. 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 ZS3 vs Canon S120 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Canon S120 features a 24-120 mm F1.8-5.7 5× zoom lens.

Canon S120 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 180mm longer reach than the Canon S120. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

S120

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Canon S120 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 S120 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

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

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S120 for Street Photography

GOOD

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
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon S120 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
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 12.0fps
Wireless Connection
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
120 mm Tele Lens
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 230 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Canon S120 for Daily Photography

GOOD

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

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
217g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon S120 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

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 ZS3 vs Canon S120: 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 S120, 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 S120 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 S120

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #14 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #315 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon S120 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 S120

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Canon S120 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Canon PowerShot S120
Brand	Panasonic	Canon
Announced	2009-05-14	2013-11-26
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	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	24-120 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F1.8-5.7
Macro Focus Range	3cm	3cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	922k 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)	7.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	12.0 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	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	217g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	100 x 59 x 29mm
Battery Life	n/a	230 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	56
DxO Color Depth	not tested	21.3
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.9
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	246
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