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Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 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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Panasonic FZ60

16 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CMOS Sensor

Panasonic FZ60
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Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and FZ60, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Panasonic FZ60 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Panasonic FZ60 was launched in July 2012. As you can see, ZS3 is 3 years older than FZ60. 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 Panasonic FZ60 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

Panasonic FZ60 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-07-18
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)
  • 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 202k dot Electronic viewfinder
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 493g. 120 x 81 x 92 mm
  • Also known as Lumix DMC-FZ62

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Weight
229 g vs 493 g 264 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 5.20 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.78µm2 vs 1.74µm2 59% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Number of Focus Points
23 vs 11 12 more focus points
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Focal Length - Tele
600mm vs 300mm 300 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
24× vs 12× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
13.5m vs 5.3m 8.2m 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

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Focal Length - Tele
300mm vs 600mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60
Fixed Screen
Fixed Type vs No No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution
460k dots vs 460k dots Low resolution screens
Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60: 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 Panasonic FZ60 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). Panasonic FZ60 has external dimensions of 120 x 81 x 92 mm (4.72 x 3.19 x 3.62″) and weighs 493 g (1.09 lb / 17.39 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60. Panasonic ZS3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 17mm narrower, 21mm shorter and 59mm thinner than Panasonic FZ60.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 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 (264g ) than the Panasonic FZ60 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
FZ60
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
FZ60
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60 (Lumix DMC-FZ62) 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60'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 Panasonic FZ60: 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, Panasonic FZ60 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Panasonic FZ60'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 FZ60 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 Cameras


Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 have sensor sizes so they will provide same level of control over the depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture. On the other hand, since Panasonic ZS3 has 59% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic FZ60, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FZ60 features a 25-600 mm F2.8-5.2 24× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FZ60 is faster than Panasonic ZS3 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic FZ60 has 300mm 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
FZ60
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
FZ60
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
FZ60
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
FZ60
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic FZ60 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

Panasonic FZ60 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FZ60 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ60 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
600 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic FZ60 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
24.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
493g
Body Thickness 92mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FZ60 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: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic FZ60: 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 Panasonic FZ60, 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 Panasonic FZ60 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
Panasonic FZ60
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #60 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #604 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FZ60 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, Panasonic FZ60 is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS3
Panasonic ZS3
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Panasonic FZ60
Panasonic FZ60
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Panasonic FZ60 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ60
Brand Panasonic Panasonic
Announced 2009-05-14 2012-07-18
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 6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area 27.72mm2 27.72mm2
Megapixels 10 megapixels 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity - 6400 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 23
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×) 25-600 mm (24×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.8-5.2
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
Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder 202k dots
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 13.50 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 MPEG-4, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 493g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 120 x 81 x 92mm
Battery Life n/a 450 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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