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Panasonic S3 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Panasonic S3

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    Main Features

    • 14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor
    • ISO 100 - 6400
    • 28-112 mm F3.1-5.6 Zoom Lens
    • Optical Image Stabilization
    • 2.7" Fixed Type Screen
    • 2 fps continuous shooting
    • HD - 1280 x 720 video
    • 117g. 99 x 59 x 21 mm
    CHECK PRICE
    CHECK PRICE

    Panasonic S3 Overview

    First introduced in January 2011 , Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 is a 14.0MP Small Sensor Compact camera with a 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 28-112 mm F3.1-5.6 lens.

    Panasonic S3 Review - Click for Table of Contents

    1. Overview
    2. Pros and Cons
    3. Sensor and Photography Features
    4. Physical Specs
    5. LCD and Viewfinder
    6. Connectivity, Storage and Battery
    7. Video
    8. Other Features
    9. Lens
    10. Photography Type Scores
    11. Alternatives
    12. Popular Comparisons
    13. Frequently Asked Questions
    14. Detailed Specifications

    Panasonic S3 has an Overall Score of 30/100 and ranked #517 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #1101 out of 1225 in all Cameras (Top 10 Overall).

    Main Scores
    Imaging
    Features
    Value for Money
    Portability
    Overall Score
    Check our Smart Finder Tool to filter, sort and compare all digital cameras.



    Panasonic S3 Physical Specs
    Panasonic S3 weighs 117 g (0.26 lb / 4.13 oz) and has external dimensions of 99 x 59 x 21 mm (3.9 x 2.32 x 0.83″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Panasonic S3 is a remarkably light camera for its class. Even better, with a thickness of only 21mm, it is also quite small, 7mm thinner than the average of its class.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Panasonic S3
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Panasonic S3
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Panasonic S3 with the dimensions:

    Panasonic S3 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Panasonic S3 Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Panasonic S3, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Panasonic S3 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Panasonic S3 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery


    Below you can find the comparison of the weight and thickness of Panasonic S3 with its main competitors:

    Panasonic S3 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs S3 Thickness vs S3
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare
    812g 695g heavier 132mm 111mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Canon SX20 IS
    Compare
    600g 483g heavier 87mm 66mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Nikon D780
    Compare
    840g 723g heavier 76mm 55mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Fujifilm S3 Pro
    Compare
    930g 813g heavier 80mm 59mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Samsung EX2F
    Compare
    294g 177g heavier 29mm 8mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica SL
    Compare
    847g 730g heavier 39mm 18mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica S2
    Compare
    1410g 1293g heavier 81mm 60mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Canon SD980 IS
    Compare
    150g 33g heavier 23mm 2mm thicker

    Weather Sealing

    Panasonic S3 doesn't have any environmental sealings on its body so you got to be extra careful to protect it against water and dust. If you shoot under these conditions very often, consider checking Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing page.

    Panasonic S3 Sensor and Photography Features

    Panasonic S3 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine IV processor. You can shoot at maximum resolution of 4320 x 3240 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. S3 has a native ISO range of 100 - 6400 but unfortunately, Panasonic S3 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider or in the same price range.

    Panasonic S3 is not the highest resolution Small Sensor camera. Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 with its 21.0MP sensor is leading in this class. Check the comparison of Panasonic S3 vs Kodak Astro Zoom AZ651 or take a look at Highest resolution Compact cameras list.

    Let's look at how the size of the Panasonic S3's 1/2.3-inch sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Panasonic S3 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Panasonic S3 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Panasonic S3 Lens

    Panasonic S3 features a 28-112 mm F3.1-5.6 4× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 28mm, and 112mm on the tele end means that the medium telephoto angle is also well covered, only lacking the reach for wildlife and sports.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    S3
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    S3
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.10 at 28mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f5.60.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    S3
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    S3
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average

    S3 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.



    Panasonic S3 LCD

    Panasonic S3 has a Fixed Type 2.7" LCD screen with a resolution of 230k dots. At only 2.7", the screen is on the smaller side and 230kdot resolution is lower than most of the recent models in this class.



    Panasonic S3 back view and LCD

    S3 doesn't have a viewfinder and no option for external viewfinder. Lack of a viewfinder can be problematic especially under strong light where visibility of LCD screens goes down dramatically. If you need a Compact camera with a built-in viewfinder in a similar price range, consider (Compare) or (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Panasonic S3 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    Panasonic S3 has a USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port to connect your camera to other devices.

    Battery

    Panasonic S3 is powered by a proprietary battery which provides a shooting life of 250 according to CIPA standards. Considering that the average battery life of Compact type cameras is 255 shots, its battery life is about average in its class but it would still be wise to invest in some spare batteries for long photo trips.

    Battery Life Comparison in Small Sensor Compact Cameras

    Panasonic S3
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Fujifilm X30 with its 470shots is the model with longest battery life among Small Sensor Compact cameras. Check the comparison of Panasonic S3 vs Fujifilm X30 or take a look at Longest Battery Life Compact cameras list.

    Panasonic S3 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 360shots Yes Yes No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Canon SX20 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Nikon D780
    Compare
    3840 x 2160 2260shots Yes Yes No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Fujifilm S3 Pro
    Compare
    None shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Samsung EX2F
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 260shots Yes No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica SL
    Compare
    4096 x 2160 400shots Yes No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Leica S2
    Compare
    None 1000shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Camera Canon SD980 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No

    Panasonic S3 Video Features

    With Panasonic S3, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30 fps and save in and MPEG-4 formats. 1280 x 720 is a low video resolution by todays standards. If video quality is important for you, we recommend you to look at cameras with Full HD, even better 4K / Ultra-HD resolution .

    S3 has a built-in Mono microphone but no speaker.
    Panasonic S3 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider or in a similar price range.

    Panasonic S3 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Panasonic S3 can shoot continuously at max speed of 2 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/1600 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately S3 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Panasonic S3 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 11 points to choose from.

    Panasonic S3 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Panasonic S3 review by analysing its specs and features and listing out its pros and cons compared to average competitor cameras in its class.

    PROs
    Image Stabilization
    11 Focus Points
    117g Light Body
    Report a correction

    Buy Panasonic S3 from AMAZON or B&H PHOTO


    CONs
    No Wireless Connection
    No Articulating Screen
    No External Flash Shoe
    No Full HD Video
    No Touch Screen
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No RAW Shooting
    No Face Detection Focusing
    Low Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    Small LCD Screen ( 2.7")
    Low Screen Resolution ( 230kdots )
    1/1600s Low Max Shutter Speed
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    Low Battery Life: 250 shots
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.10
    Slow Lens at Tele: f5.60
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Panasonic S3 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Panasonic S3 in 5 different photography areas.

    Panasonic S3 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic S3 has a score of 17 for Portrait Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Portrait We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Portrait Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS3.
    Image Stabilization
    Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 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 of how we scored Panasonic S3 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic S3 for Street Photography

    Panasonic S3 has a score of 47 for Street Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Street is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Street Photography list.
    Live-view
    Image Stabilization
    28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Small Body
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic S3 for Street Photography

    Panasonic S3 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic S3 has a score of 15 for Sports Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Sports We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Sports Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS3.
    11 Focus Points
    Image Stabilization
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
    Poor Battery Life: 250 shots
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    112 mm Tele Lens
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic S3 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic S3 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic S3 has a score of 57 for Daily Photography which makes it an AVERAGE candidate for this type of photography. If Daily is important for you, we recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    Compact Body
    117g
    Body Thickness 21mm
    4.0X Optical Zoom
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic S3 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic S3 for Landscape Photography

    Panasonic S3 has a score of 17 for Landscape Photography which makes it a POOR candidate for this type of photography. If Landscape We strongly recommend you to check our Top Compact Cameras for Landscape Photography list and consider these alternatives over theS3.
    28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic S3 for Landscape Photography
    Panasonic S3 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Panasonic S3 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Panasonic S3 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Panasonic S3

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Panasonic S3 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Leica V-Lux 5
    Leica V-Lux 5
    Compare
    Canon SX20 IS
    Canon SX20 IS
    Compare
    Nikon D780
    Nikon D780
    Compare
    Fujifilm S3 Pro
    Fujifilm S3 Pro
    Compare
    Samsung EX2F
    Samsung EX2F
    Compare
    Leica SL
    Leica SL
    Compare
    Leica S2
    Leica S2
    Compare
    Canon SD980 IS
    Canon SD980 IS
    Compare

    Panasonic S3 Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Panasonic S3 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Panasonic S3's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Panasonic S3
    Does the Panasonic S3 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Panasonic S3 have RAW support?
    Does the Panasonic S3 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Panasonic S3 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Panasonic S3?
    What is the Sensor Size of Panasonic S3?
    is the Panasonic S3 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Panasonic S3 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Panasonic S3 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Panasonic S3?
    What is the Weight of Panasonic S3?
    What are the Dimensions of Panasonic S3?
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Panasonic
    Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3
    Announced 2011-01-05
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 28-112 mm (4×)
    Max Aperture F3.1-5.6
    Macro Focus Range 5cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Technology TFT LCD
    Screen Size 2.7"
    Screen Resolution 230k dots
    Live View
    Touch Screen
    Viewfinder
    Viewfinder None
    Viewfinder Resolution no electronic viewfinder
    Viewfinder Coverage n/a
    Viewfinder Magnification n/a
    Photography Features
    Min Shutter Speed 8s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/1600s
    Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps
    Shutter Priority
    Aperture Priority
    Manual Exposure Mode
    Exposure Compensation n/a
    Custom White Balance
    Image Stabilization
    Built-in Flash
    Flash Range 3.30 m
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction
    External Flash
    AE Bracketing
    WB Bracketing
    Exposure Modes
    Multi-Segment
    Average
    Spot
    Partial
    AF-Area
    Center Weighted
    DxO Sensor Scores
    DxO Overall Score not tested
    DxO Color Depth not tested
    DxO Dynamic Range not tested
    DxO Low Light ISO not tested
    Report a correction

    Sensor
    Sensor Type CCD
    Sensor Size 1/2.3-inch
    Sensor Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm
    Sensor Area 27.72mm2
    Sensor Resolution 14 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 4320 x 3240
    Max Native ISO 6,400
    Min Native ISO 100
    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
    Number of Cross Focus Points Unknown
    Video Features
    Video Resolutions 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720
    Video Formats MPEG-4
    Microphone Port
    Headphone Port
    Connectivity
    Wireless Connectivity None
    HDMI
    USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
    Physical
    Environmental Sealing
    Water Proof
    Dust Proof
    Shock Proof
    Crush Proof
    Freeze Proof
    Weight 117g
    Physical Dimensions 99 x 59 x 21mm
    Battery Life 250 shots
    Battery Type Battery Pack
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal
    Storage Slots 1


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