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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V 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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Sony HX400V

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

Sony HX400V
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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing ZS3 and HX400V, two Small Sensor Superzoom cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Sony HX400V has a 20.0 MP resolution. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Sony HX400V was launched in February 2014. As you can see, ZS3 is 5 years older than HX400V. 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 Sony HX400V 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

Sony HX400V Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2014-02-12
  • 20MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 80 - 12800
  • 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in Wireless
  • Built-in GPS
  • 660g. 130 x 93 x 103 mm
  • Replaced Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300 Compare

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Number of Focus Points
11 vs 9 2 more focus points
Weight
229 g vs 660 g 431 g lighter
Max Aperture - Tele
4.90 vs 6.30 faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area
2.78µm2 vs 1.39µm2 100% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
Wireless Connection
Built-In vs None Better connectivity
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe
Yes vs No Better for flash photography
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
20 MP vs 10 MP 100% more pixels
Max ISO
12.800 vs 6.400 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter
1/4000s vs 1/2000s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Microphone Port
Yes vs No High quality audio recording option
Focal Length - Wide
24mm vs 25mm 1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
1200mm vs 300mm 900 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
50x vs 12× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.30 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
8.5m vs 5.3m 3.2m 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
NFC Connection
Yes vs No Easy wireless connectivity with compatible devices
Smartphone Remote
Yes vs No Remote control your camera with a smartphone

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
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 1200mm Very good Telezoom
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V: 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 Sony HX400V 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). Sony HX400V has external dimensions of 130 x 93 x 103 mm (5.1 x 3.67 x 4.06″) and weighs 660 g (1.46 lb / 23.28 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V. Panasonic ZS3 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 27mm narrower, 33mm shorter and 70mm thinner than Sony HX400V.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V 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 (431g ) than the Sony HX400V which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
HX400V
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

ZS3
HX400V
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 (Lumix DMC-TZ7) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V 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 Sony HX400V's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

On the other hand, Sony HX400V features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Panasonic ZS3 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to HX400V.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V: 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, Sony HX400V has a 20.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Bionz X processor.

Sony HX400V'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 HX400V sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V Cameras


Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V 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 Sony HX400V Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony HX400V features a 24-1200 mm F2.8-6.3 50x zoom lens.

Sony HX400V has 1mm wider coverage than the Panasonic ZS3. At f2.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Sony HX400V has 900mm 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
HX400V
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
HX400V
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
HX400V
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

ZS3
HX400V
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Sony HX400V 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

Sony HX400V 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Image Stabilization
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony HX400V 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
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony HX400V 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
External Flash Shoe
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
Wireless Connection
1200 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.30
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony HX400V 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
50.0X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
660g
Body Thickness 103mm
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony HX400V 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
Very High Resolution Sensor: 20.0MP
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Built-in GPS
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony HX400V: 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 Sony HX400V, 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 Sony HX400V 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
Sony HX400V
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #32 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #432 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony HX400V 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, Sony HX400V is the better camera overall.

Panasonic ZS3
Panasonic ZS3
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Sony HX400V
Sony HX400V
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Sony HX400V vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2009-05-14 2014-02-12
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
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 20 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 5184 x 3888
Max Native Light sensitivity 6,400 ISO 12,800 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×) 24-1200 mm (50x)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F2.8-6.3
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 460k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Viewfinder Coverage n/a 100%
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/4000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 8.50 m (ISO Auto)
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 Built-In
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 660g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 130 x 93 x 103mm
Battery Life n/a 300 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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