Panasonic ZS3 has a
10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Panasonic ZS80 has a
20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Venus Engine processor.
Panasonic ZS80's sensor provides 10MP 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 ZS80 sensor size comparison.
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS80 Cameras
Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS80 have almost the same sensor size, so neither of them has any significant advantage over the other in terms of providing control over depth of field when used with the same focal length and aperture.
Sensor size sets the circle of confusion, so it drives how much depth of field each
of these bodies gives you at a given aperture. You can calculate it exactly for the
Panasonic ZS3
or the
Panasonic ZS80 ,
including hyperfocal distance.
