Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic ZS20 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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Panasonic ZS20

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

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic ZS20 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and ZS20, 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 ZS20 has a 14.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Panasonic ZS20 was launched in April 2012. As you can see, ZS3 is 3 years older than ZS20. 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 ZS20 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 ZS20 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-04-26

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

10 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

220fps High-Speed Video

Built-in GPS

206g. 105 x 59 x 28 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ30

Replaced Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS15 Compare

Panasonic ZS20 was replaced by Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 (Lumix DMC-TZ30)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS25 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 Panasonic ZS20 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-ZS20

Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 6.40	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	2.78µm² vs 1.98µm²	40% larger pixel area

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
GPS	BuiltIn vs None	track your location
Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 10 MP	39% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	23 vs 11	12 more focus points
Continuous Shooting	10.0fps vs 2.0fps	8 fps faster
Weight	206 g vs 229 g	23 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	480mm vs 300mm	180 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	20× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage	6.4m vs 5.3m	1.1m 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-ZS20

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 480mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20

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
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 460k dots	Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic ZS20: 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 ZS20 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 ZS20 has external dimensions of 105 x 59 x 28 mm (4.13 x 2.32 x 1.1″) and weighs 206 g (0.45 lb / 7.27 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20. Panasonic ZS20 is 1mm shorter and 5mm thinner than Panasonic ZS3 but it is also 2mm wider.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic ZS20 is 23g lighter than the Panasonic ZS3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

ZS20

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

ZS20

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20 (Lumix DMC-TZ30) 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 Panasonic ZS20'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 ZS20: 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 ZS20 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZS3 and ZS20 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 Cameras

Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 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 40% larger pixel area compared to Panasonic ZS20, it has potential to collect more light on pixel level hence have less noise in low light / High ISO images.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic ZS20 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Panasonic ZS20 features a 24-480 mm F3.3-6.4 20× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS20 has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. Both cameras has a max aperture of f3.30 at the wide end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS20 has 180mm 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

ZS20

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

ZS20

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

ZS20

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

ZS20

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Panasonic ZS20 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 ZS20 for Portrait Photography

POOR

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
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic ZS20 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

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
Small Body
Live-view
24 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

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS20 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
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
23 Focus Points
480 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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.40
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Panasonic ZS20 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

Compact Body
206g
20.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic ZS20 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 Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Panasonic ZS20: 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 ZS20, 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 ZS20 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 ZS20

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #164 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #702 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic ZS20 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic ZS3 in all criteria.
It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic ZS20 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20
Brand	Panasonic	Panasonic
Announced	2009-05-14	2012-04-26
Body Type	Compact	Compact
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	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 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×)	24-480 mm (20×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.3-6.4
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	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	6.40 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	206g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	105 x 59 x 28mm
Battery Life	n/a	260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction