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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Comparison

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Camera to replace
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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 TX20

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

Sony TX20
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Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic ZS3 was introduced to market in May 2009 and Sony TX20 was launched in February 2012. As you can see, ZS3 is 3 years older than TX20. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0 MP and Sony TX20 has a 16.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 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 TX20 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2012-02-28
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • 25-100 mm F3.5-4.6 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 133g. 96 x 56 x 18 mm
  • Weather Sealed Body

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 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-TX20
Max ISO
6.400 vs 3.200 100% higher Max ISO
Max Mech. Shutter
1/2000s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
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 3.50 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
5.3m vs 3.7m 1.6m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.78µm2 vs 1.76µm2 57% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20 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
LCD Screen Resolution
922k dots vs 460k dots 100% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Weight
133 g vs 229 g 96 g lighter
Environmental Sealing
Yes vs No shoot at tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
4.60 vs 4.90 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20
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-TX20
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
Manual Exposure
No vs No No manual exposure control
New4
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20: 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 TX20 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 TX20 has external dimensions of 96 x 56 x 18 mm (3.78 x 2.2 x 0.71″) and weighs 133 g (0.29 lb / 4.69 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20. Sony TX20 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 4mm shorter and 15mm thinner than Panasonic ZS3.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20.
Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Camera Size Comparison - Top View
Top View Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Sony TX20 is significantly lighter (96g ) than the Panasonic ZS3 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Thanks to the weather sealed body of TX20, you can use this camera with more confidence under conditions where there is risk of exposure to water and dust compared to ZS3.

LCD Screen Size and Features

Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20'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 Sony TX20: 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 TX20 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor.

Sony TX20'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 TX20 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 Cameras


Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 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 TX20 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens whereas Sony TX20 features a 25-100 mm F3.5-4.6 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 TX20 at this focal length. On the tele end, Panasonic ZS3 has 200mm longer reach than the Sony TX20. However, with a max aperture of f4.60, Sony TX20 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

ZS3
TX20
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic ZS3 and Sony TX20 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 TX20 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: 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 Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony TX20 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
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
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

POOR

Sony TX20 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
Environmental Sealings
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Unknown Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Sony TX20 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
133g
Body Thickness 18mm
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 TX20 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
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 Exposure Mode
Read the details

Panasonic ZS3 vs Sony TX20: 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 TX20, 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 TX20 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 TX20
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #13 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #691 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Sony TX20 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 TX20
Sony TX20
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Sony TX20 vs Panasonic ZS3 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-TX20
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2009-05-14 2012-02-28
Body Type Compact Ultracompact
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 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 125 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 F3.5-4.6
Macro Focus Range 3cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 3" 3"
Resolution 460k dots 922k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/2000s 1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 5.30 m (Auto ISO) 3.70 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 Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 229g 133g
Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm 96 x 56 x 18mm
Battery Life n/a 250 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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