Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10 Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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Pentax I-10

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Pentax. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Pentax I-10 was launched in January 2010. There is only 8 months difference between ZS3 and I-10 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Pentax I-10 has a 12.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 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

Pentax I-10 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-01-25

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

28-140 mm F3.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

2.7" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

153g. 101 x 65 x 28 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Pentax Optio I-10

Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.7"	0.3 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	1 fps faster
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	300mm vs 140mm	160 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	12× vs 5×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.30 vs 3.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	5.3m vs 4.0m	1.3m longer range

Reasons to choose Pentax Optio I-10 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Weight	153 g vs 229 g	76 g lighter

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Pentax Optio I-10

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Sensor-shift	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 Pentax Optio I-10

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 Size	3" vs 2.7"	Small display
LCD Screen Resolution	460k dots vs 230k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Manual Exposure	No vs No	No manual exposure control
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10: 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 Pentax I-10 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). Pentax I-10 has external dimensions of 101 x 65 x 28 mm (3.98 x 2.56 x 1.1″) and weighs 153 g (0.34 lb / 5.40 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10. Pentax I-10 is 2mm narrower and 5mm thinner than Panasonic ZS3 but it is also 5mm taller.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Pentax I-10 is significantly lighter (76g ) than the Panasonic ZS3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Pentax Optio I-10 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's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Pentax I-10's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10: 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, Pentax I-10 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Prime processor.

Below you can see the ZS3 and I-10 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 Cameras

Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Pentax I-10 features a 28-140 mm F3.5-5.9 5× zoom lens.

Panasonic ZS3 has 3mm wider coverage than the Pentax I-10. At f3.30, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 160mm longer reach than the Pentax I-10. At f4.90, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

I-10

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Pentax I-10 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

Pentax I-10 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 Focus Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Pentax I-10 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
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Pentax I-10 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 Focus Mode
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
140 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Pentax I-10 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

Compact Body
153g
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Pentax I-10 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
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Pentax I-10: 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 Pentax I-10, 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 Pentax I-10 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

Pentax I-10

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #314 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #949 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Pentax I-10 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

Pentax I-10 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Pentax Optio I-10
Brand	Panasonic	Pentax
Announced	2009-05-14	2010-01-25
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area	27.72mm²	28.07mm²
Megapixels	10 megapixels	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	6,400 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	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	28-140 mm (5×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.5-5.9
Macro Focus Range	3cm	10cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	2.7"
Resolution	460k dots	230k 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	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.30 m (Auto ISO)	4.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	1.0 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	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	153g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	101 x 65 x 28mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction