Panasonic ZS3 vs Leica D-LUX 5 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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Leica D-LUX 5

10 MP | 1/1.63" (8.07 x 5.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Leica D-LUX 5 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Leica. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Leica D-LUX 5 was launched in September 2010. There is 16 months difference between ZS3 and D-LUX 5 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger D-LUX 5, especially in sensor tech.

Both cameras have 10.0MP sensors but Panasonic ZS3's sensor is 1/2.3-inch sized whereas Leica D-LUX 5 has a 1/1.63-inch sensor.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 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

Leica D-LUX 5 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-09-21

10MP - 1/1.63-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 12800

24-90 mm F2.0-3.3 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

3 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

271g. 110 x 66 x 43 mm

Replaced Leica D-LUX 4 Compare

Leica D-LUX 5 was replaced by Leica D-Lux 6. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Leica D-Lux 6 vs Leica D-LUX 5
Leica D-Lux 6 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Leica D-LUX 5

Weight	229 g vs 271 g	42 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 90mm	210 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 3.8×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Leica D-LUX 5 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 11	12 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	3.0fps vs 2.0fps	1 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	3.30 vs 4.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	7.2m vs 5.3m	1.9m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	4.50µm² vs 2.78µm²	61% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5

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 Leica D-LUX 5

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
Max Resolution	10 MP vs 10 MP	Less details and smaller prints
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

Panasonic ZS3 vs Leica D-LUX 5: 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 Leica D-LUX 5 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). Leica D-LUX 5 has external dimensions of 110 x 66 x 43 mm (4.33 x 2.6 x 1.69″) and weighs 271 g (0.60 lb / 9.56 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5. Panasonic ZS3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 6mm shorter and 10mm thinner than Leica D-LUX 5.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 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 (42g ) than the Leica D-LUX 5 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Leica D-LUX 5 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 Leica D-LUX 5'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 Leica D-LUX 5: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 have 10.0 MP resolution sensors but Panasonic ZS3's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) and Leica D-LUX 5's sensor is 1/1.63-inch (8.07 x 5.56 mm ).

Since Leica D-LUX 5's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Panasonic ZS3.

Below you can see the ZS3 and D-LUX 5 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 Cameras

As seen above, Leica D-LUX 5 has a 1.6x 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 Leica D-LUX 5 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Leica D-LUX 5 features a 24-90 mm F2.0-3.3 3.8× zoom lens.

Leica D-LUX 5 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. At f2.00, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 210mm longer reach than the Leica D-LUX 5. However, with a max aperture of f3.30, Leica D-LUX 5 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

D-LUX 5

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Leica D-LUX 5 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

Leica D-LUX 5 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
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.63" (8.07 x 5.56 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Leica D-LUX 5 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
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.63" (8.07 x 5.56 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Leica D-LUX 5 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
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 3.0fps
Environmental Sealings
90 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Leica D-LUX 5 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
271g
Small 1/1.63" (8.07 x 5.56 mm) sensor
Body Thickness 43mm
3.8X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Leica D-LUX 5 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
Small 1/1.63" (8.07 x 5.56 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Leica D-LUX 5: 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 Leica D-LUX 5, 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 Leica D-LUX 5 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

Leica D-LUX 5

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #75 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #518 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Leica D-LUX 5 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, Leica D-LUX 5 is the better camera overall.

Leica D-LUX 5 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Leica D-LUX 5
Brand	Panasonic	Leica
Announced	2009-05-14	2010-09-21
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.63-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	8.07 x 5.56 mm
Area	27.72mm²	44.87mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	3648 x 2736
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	23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	24-90 mm (3.8×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F2.0-3.3
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	460k dots	460k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
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)	7.20 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	3.0 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	AVCHD Lite, Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	271g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	110 x 66 x 43mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction