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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 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 TF1

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

Sony TF1
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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic ZS3, which was introduced in May 2009 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Sony TF1, which was introduced in June 2013 is a Waterproof camera with a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, ZS3 is 4 years older than TF1. 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 TF1 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 TF1 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2013-06-21
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 25-100 mm F3.6-4.7 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 152g. 102 x 62 x 23 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 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-TF1
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.7" 0.3 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps 1 fps faster
Focal Length - Tele
300mm vs 100mm 200 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
12× vs 4× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide
3.30 vs 3.60 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
5.3m vs 3.9m 1.4m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.78µm2 vs 1.76µm2 57% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
Touch Screen
Yes vs No Easy control of camera functions
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 10 MP 60% more pixels
Weight
152 g vs 229 g 77 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
4.70 vs 4.90 faster lens at tele

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1
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 460k dots Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Manual Exposure
No vs No No manual exposure control
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1 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 TF1 has external dimensions of 102 x 62 x 23 mm (4.02 x 2.44 x 0.91″) and weighs 152 g (0.34 lb / 5.36 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1. Sony TF1 is 1mm narrower and 10mm thinner than Panasonic ZS3 but it is also 2mm taller.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony TF1 is significantly lighter (77g ) than the Panasonic ZS3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Waterproof Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS3's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Sony TF1's 2.7" screen.

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor .

Sony TF1'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 TF1 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 Cameras


Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 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 TF1 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony TF1 features a 25-100 mm F3.6-4.7 4× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f3.30, Panasonic ZS3 is faster than Sony TF1 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 200mm longer reach than the Sony TF1. However, with a max aperture of f4.70, Sony TF1 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TF1
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TF1 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 TF1 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony TF1 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
Face-Detection Focusing
25 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
Slow Lens at Wide: f3.60
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony TF1 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
Environmental Sealings
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: 1.0fps
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony TF1 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
152g
Environmental Sealings
4.0X 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

Sony TF1 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
Environmental Sealings
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TF1: 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 TF1, 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 TF1 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 TF1
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #175 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #728 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony TF1 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 ZS3
Panasonic ZS3
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Sony TF1
Sony TF1
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Sony TF1 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TF1
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2009-05-14 2013-06-21
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 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 3648 x 2736 4608 x 3456
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×) 25-100 mm (4×)
Max Aperture F3.3-4.9 F3.6-4.7
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 2.7"
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) 3.90 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 None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 152g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 102 x 62 x 23mm
Battery Life n/a 240 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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