Panasonic ZS3 vs FujiFilm F300EXR Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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FujiFilm F300EXR

12 MP | 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs FujiFilm F300EXR Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and F300EXR, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and FujiFilm. Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas FujiFilm F300EXR has a 12.0MP 1/2-inch sensor. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and FujiFilm F300EXR was launched in July 2010. There is 14 months difference between ZS3 and F300EXR so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger F300EXR, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR 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

FujiFilm F300EXR Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-07-21

12MP - 1/2-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 12800)

24-360 mm F3.5-5.3 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

215g. 104 x 59 x 33 mm

Also known as FinePix F305EXR

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Aperture - Wide	3.30 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.30	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 3.2m	2.1m longer range

Reasons to choose FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Weight	215 g vs 229 g	14 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	360mm vs 300mm	60 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	15× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Sensor-shift	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 360mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR

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
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k 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 FujiFilm F300EXR: 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 FujiFilm F300EXR 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). FujiFilm F300EXR has external dimensions of 104 x 59 x 33 mm (4.09 x 2.32 x 1.3″) and weighs 215 g (0.47 lb / 7.58 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR Size and Weight - Back View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. FujiFilm F300EXR is 14g lighter than the Panasonic ZS3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR (FinePix F305EXR) 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 FujiFilm F300EXR'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 FujiFilm F300EXR: 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, FujiFilm F300EXR has a 12.0MP 1/2-inch (6.4 x 4.8 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features EXR processor.

Below you can see the ZS3 and F300EXR sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR Cameras

As seen above, FujiFilm F300EXR has a 1.1x 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 FujiFilm F300EXR Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas FujiFilm F300EXR features a 24-360 mm F3.5-5.3 15× zoom lens.

FujiFilm F300EXR has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.30, Panasonic ZS3 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, FujiFilm F300EXR has 60mm longer telezoom reach than the Panasonic ZS3. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Panasonic ZS3 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

F300EXR

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and FujiFilm F300EXR 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

FujiFilm F300EXR 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

FujiFilm F300EXR 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
Small Body
Live-view
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

FujiFilm F300EXR 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
Manual Exposure Mode
360 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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Focus Points
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

FujiFilm F300EXR 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

Compact Body
215g
15.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

FujiFilm F300EXR 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 Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2" (6.4 x 4.8 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs FujiFilm F300EXR: 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 FujiFilm F300EXR, 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 FujiFilm F300EXR 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

FujiFilm F300EXR

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #206 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #781 out of 1223 in all Cameras

FujiFilm F300EXR has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic ZS3 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

FujiFilm F300EXR vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	FujiFilm FinePix F300EXR
Brand	Panasonic	FujiFilm
Announced	2009-05-14	2010-07-21
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.4 x 4.8 mm
Area	27.72mm²	30.72mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	-	12800 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	100 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×)	24-360 mm (15×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.5-5.3
Macro Focus Range	3cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k 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	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	3.20 m
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	1280 x 720
Video Formats	AVCHD Lite	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	215g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	104 x 59 x 33mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction