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Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

Panasonic ZS3
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Fujifilm S1

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

Fujifilm S1
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Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and S1, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Fujifilm. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Fujifilm S1 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Fujifilm S1 was launched in January 2014. As you can see, ZS3 is 5 years older than S1. 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 ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 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 S1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-01-06
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 12800
  • 24-1200 mm F2.8-5.6 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fully Articulated Screen
  • 920k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 480fps High-Speed Video
  • Built-in Wireless
  • 680g. 133 x 91 x 110 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 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 S1
Weight
229 g vs 680 g 451 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.60 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.78µm2 vs 1.76µm2 57% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Fujifilm FinePix S1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
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
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
RAW Support
Yes vs No Better image quality
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
920k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Timelapse Recording
Yes vs No creative shooting
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
1200mm vs 300mm 900 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
50× vs 12× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 5.3m 2.7m 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
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Fujifilm FinePix S1
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 1200mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Fujifilm FinePix S1
Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1: 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 S1 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 S1 has external dimensions of 133 x 91 x 110 mm (5.24 x 3.58 x 4.33″) and weighs 680 g (1.50 lb / 23.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1. Panasonic ZS3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 30mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 77mm thinner than Fujifilm S1.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS3 is significantly lighter (451g ) than the Fujifilm S1 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
S1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
S1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of S1, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to ZS3.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Fujifilm S1 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. Panasonic ZS3's LCD screen is a fixed type which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to S1.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1: 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 S1 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Fujifilm S1's sensor provides 6MP more than Panasonic ZS3's sensor, which gives a significant advantage in real life. You can print your images larger or crop more freely. On the other hand, please keep in mind that Max sensor resolution is not the only determinant of resolving power. Factors such as the optical elements, low pass filter, pixel size and sensor technology also affects the final resolution of the captured image.

Below you can see the ZS3 and S1 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 Cameras


Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 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 Fujifilm S1 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm S1 features a 24-1200 mm F2.8-5.6 50× zoom lens.

Fujifilm S1 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Fujifilm S1 has 900mm 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
S1
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
S1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
S1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
S1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm S1 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 S1 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
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm S1 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fully Articulated LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Fujifilm S1 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Wireless Connection
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Unknown Focus Points
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm S1 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
Environmental Sealings
50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
680g
Body Thickness 110mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm S1 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
Environmental Sealings
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm S1: 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 S1, 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 S1 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 S1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #10 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #262 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm S1 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS3 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic ZS3. Otherwise, Fujifilm S1 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS3
Panasonic ZS3
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Fujifilm S1
Fujifilm S1
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Fujifilm S1 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Fujifilm FinePix S1
Brand Panasonic Fujifilm
Announced 2009-05-14 2014-01-06
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
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 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 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×) 24-1200 mm (50×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.8-5.6
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fully Articulated
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 460k dots 920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 920k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 97%
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) 8.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 10.0 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 680g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 133 x 91 x 110mm
Battery Life n/a 350 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Optional
DxO Sensor Scores
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