Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1

12 MP | 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) EXRCMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm XF1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Fujifilm. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Fujifilm XF1 was launched in September 2012. As you can see, ZS3 is 3 years older than XF1. 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 Fujifilm XF1 has a 12.0MP 2/3-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-09-17

12MP - 2/3-inch EXRCMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 12800)

25-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

255g. 108 x 62 x 33 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Weight	229 g vs 255 g	26 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 100mm	200 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 4x	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Fujifilm XF1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

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 Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 2.0fps	5 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Sensor Pixel Area	4.84µm² vs 2.78µm²	74% 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 Fujifilm XF1

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 Fujifilm XF1

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
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm XF1: 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 XF1 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 XF1 has external dimensions of 108 x 62 x 33 mm (4.25 x 2.44 x 1.3″) and weighs 255 g (0.56 lb / 8.99 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS3 is 26g lighter than the Fujifilm XF1 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1'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 XF1: 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 XF1 has a 12.0MP 2/3-inch (8.8 x 6.6 mm ) sized EXRCMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZS3 and XF1 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 Cameras

As seen above, Fujifilm XF1 has a 2.1x 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 XF1 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Fujifilm XF1 features a 25-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4x zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Fujifilm XF1 is faster than Panasonic ZS3 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 200mm longer reach than the Fujifilm XF1. Both cameras has a max aperture of f4.90 at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

XF1

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1 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 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Fujifilm XF1 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Fujifilm XF1 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: 7.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Unknown Focus Points
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Fujifilm XF1 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
255g
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Fujifilm XF1 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
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 2/3" (8.8 x 6.6 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Fujifilm XF1: 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 XF1, 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 XF1 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 XF1

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #50 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #464 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Fujifilm XF1 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 XF1 is the better camera overall.

Fujifilm XF1 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Fujifilm XF1
Brand	Panasonic	Fujifilm
Announced	2009-05-14	2012-09-17
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	EXRCMOS
Size	1/2.3-inch	2/3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	8.8 x 6.6 mm
Area	27.72mm²	58.08mm²
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×)	25-100 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F1.8-4.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	3cm
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	1/4000s
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
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	7.0 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	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	255g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	108 x 62 x 33mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	49
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.5
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.2
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	199
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