Panasonic ZS3 vs Samsung WB250F Comparison

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Panasonic ZS3

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

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Samsung WB250F

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic ZS3 vs Samsung WB250F Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and WB250F, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Samsung. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Samsung WB250F has a 14.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Samsung WB250F was launched in January 2013. As you can see, ZS3 is 4 years older than WB250F. 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 Samsung WB250F 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

Samsung WB250F Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2013-01-07

14MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 3200

24-432 mm F3.2-5.8 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

8 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

226g. 106 x 62 x 22 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Samsung WB250F

Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.80	faster lens at tele

Reasons to choose Samsung WB250F over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs None	Better connectivity
Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 10 MP	39% more pixels
Continuous Shooting	8.0fps vs 2.0fps	6 fps faster
Weight	226 g vs 229 g	3 g lighter
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 25mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	432mm vs 300mm	132 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	18× vs 12×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	3.20 vs 3.30	faster lens at wide
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Samsung WB250F

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 432mm	Very good Telezoom

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Samsung WB250F

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
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic ZS3 vs Samsung WB250F: 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 Samsung WB250F 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). Samsung WB250F has external dimensions of 106 x 62 x 22 mm (4.17 x 2.44 x 0.87″) and weighs 226 g (0.50 lb / 7.97 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F. Panasonic ZS3 is 3mm narrower and 2mm shorter than Samsung WB250F but it is also 11mm thicker.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F.

Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Samsung WB250F is 3g lighter than the Panasonic ZS3 but we don't think this will make a significant difference.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

WB250F

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3

WB250F

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Samsung WB250F 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 Samsung WB250F'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 Samsung WB250F: 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, Samsung WB250F has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor .

Below you can see the ZS3 and WB250F sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F Cameras

Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F 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 Samsung WB250F Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Samsung WB250F features a 24-432 mm F3.2-5.8 18× zoom lens.

Samsung WB250F has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. At f3.20, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Samsung WB250F has 132mm 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

WB250F

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3

WB250F

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3

WB250F

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3

WB250F

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Samsung WB250F 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

Samsung WB250F 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 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 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

Samsung WB250F 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
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Samsung WB250F 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: 8.0fps
Wireless Connection
432 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
Unknown Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.80
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Samsung WB250F 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
226g
Body Thickness 22mm
18.0X 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

Samsung WB250F 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
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Samsung WB250F: 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 Samsung WB250F, 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 Samsung WB250F 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

Samsung WB250F

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #152 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #671 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Samsung WB250F 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

Samsung WB250F vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3	Samsung WB250F
Brand	Panasonic	Samsung
Announced	2009-05-14	2013-01-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	BSI-CMOS
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	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	3648 x 2736	4320 x 3240
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	3,200 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	n/a
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-300 mm (12×)	24-432 mm (18×)
Max Aperture	F3.3-4.9	F3.2-5.8
Macro Focus Range	3cm	n/a
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)	n/a
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	8.0 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, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	229g	226g
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 33mm	106 x 62 x 22mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction