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Panasonic ZS3 Review

  • Overview
  • Alternatives
  • Panasonic ZS3

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    Main Features

    • 10MP - 1/2.3" 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
    • 229g. 103 x 60 x 33 mm
    • Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ7
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    Panasonic ZS3 Overview

    First introduced in May 2009 , Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 is a 10.0MP Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 1/2.3" (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor, built-in Image Stabilization and 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 lens. ZS3 is also sold as Lumix DMC-TZ7 in some of the countries.

    Panasonic ZS3 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 ZS3 has an Overall Score of 33/100 and ranked #407 out of 629 in Compact cameras (Top 10 Compact), and ranked #993 out of 1220 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 ZS3 Physical Specs
    Panasonic ZS3 weighs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz) and has external dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3″). Considering that the average weight of Compact type cameras is 188g, Panasonic ZS3 is a significantly heavy camera for its class. With a thickness of 33mm, it has an average thickness.
    Weight Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Panasonic ZS3
    Min
    Average
    Max
    Thickness Comparison

    Compact Cameras

    Panasonic ZS3
    Min
    Average
    Max

    Here is the front and top view image of Panasonic ZS3 with the dimensions:

    Panasonic ZS3 Body Size Dimensions
    Front and Top View External Dimensions and Size of Panasonic ZS3 Camera Body

    In order to give you a better idea about the real life size of Panasonic ZS3, we have added an image of how it looks next to a credit card and an AA type battery.


    Panasonic ZS3 Body Size Compared to a Credit card and a Battery
    Physical size of the Panasonic ZS3 Body Compared to a Credit Card and an AA Battery

    Now lets compare the weight and thickness of Panasonic ZS3 with its main competitors:

    Panasonic ZS3 Size Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Weight vs ZS3 Thickness vs ZS3
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS7
    Compare
    218g 11g lighter 33mm equal thickness
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS5
    Compare
    214g 15g lighter 32mm 1mm thinner
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS8
    Compare
    210g 19g lighter 33mm equal thickness
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic LX5
    Compare
    271g 42g heavier 43mm 10mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS50
    Compare
    243g 14g heavier 34mm 1mm thicker
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Nikon S9300
    Compare
    215g 14g lighter 31mm 2mm thinner
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Canon SD960 IS
    Compare
    145g 84g lighter 22mm 11mm thinner
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic LX3
    Compare
    265g 36g heavier 27mm 6mm thinner

    Weather Sealing

    Panasonic ZS3 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 ZS3 Sensor and Photography Features

    Panasonic ZS3 has a 10.0MP 1/2.3" (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . You can shoot at maximum resolution of 3648 x 2736 pixels with aspect ratios of 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9. ZS3 has a native ISO range of 80 - 6400 but unfortunately, Panasonic ZS3 doesn't have RAW file support. If you need a Compact camera with a RAW support, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in the same price range.

    Panasonic ZS3 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 ZS3 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 ZS3's 1/2.3" sensor compares with other standard sensor sizes.

    Panasonic ZS3 Sensor Size Comparison
    Comparison image of Panasonic ZS3 Sensor Size with other standard sensors

    Panasonic ZS3 Lens

    Panasonic ZS3 features a 25-300 mm F3.3-4.9 12× zoom lens. Lens has a good wide angle capability starting at 25mm and remarkable super telephoto reach at 300mm.

    Wide Coverage

    Compact Cameras

    ZS3
    Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
    Average
    Telezoom

    Compact Cameras

    ZS3
    Longest - Canon SX520 HS
    Average

    With a max aperture of f3.30 at 25mm, we can not consider this lens fast on wide end and neither at tele end with its f4.90.

    Max Aperture at Wide

    Compact Cameras

    ZS3
    Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
    Average
    Max Aperture at Tele

    Compact Cameras

    ZS3
    Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
    Average

    ZS3 is also equipped with Optical image stabilization system which is very handy especially at lower shutter speeds.



    Panasonic ZS3 LCD

    Panasonic ZS3 has a Fixed Type 3" LCD screen with a resolution of 460k dots. Both the screen size and the screen resolution is up to the standards of this class.



    Panasonic ZS3 back view and LCD

    ZS3 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 Nikon Coolpix P7100 (Compare) or Nikon Coolpix P7000 (Compare).
    If the price is not an issue, take a look at our Top Rated Cameras with Viewfinders.

    Panasonic ZS3 Connectivity, Storage and Battery

    You can connect ZS3 to compatible devices via its HDMI port or USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) port.

    Panasonic ZS3 Features Compared to Main Competitors
    Model Max Video Battery Life Wi-fi Bluetooth NFC
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS7
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS5
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS8
    Compare
    1280 x 720 340shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic LX5
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic ZS50
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 300shots Yes No Yes
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Nikon S9300
    Compare
    1920 x 1080 200shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Canon SD960 IS
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Camera Panasonic LX3
    Compare
    1280 x 720 shots No No No

    Panasonic ZS3 Video Features

    With Panasonic ZS3, you can record your videos at a highest resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30 fps and save in and AVCHD Lite 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 .

    ZS3 has a built-in Stereo microphone but no speaker.
    Panasonic ZS3 doesn't have any connections for external microphones and headphones. If you need a Compact camera with external microphone connectivity, consider Nikon Coolpix P7100 or Nikon Coolpix P7000 in a similar price range.

    Panasonic ZS3 Other Features

    Max Shutter speed

    Panasonic ZS3 can shoot continuously at max speed of 2 fps and has max shutter speed of 1/2000 sec.

    Flash

    Unfortunately ZS3 doesn't have an external flash shoe so you are limited with the built-in flash.

    Focusing

    Panasonic ZS3 features a Contrast Detection autofocusing system. The AF system has 11 points to choose from.

    Panasonic ZS3 PROs and CONs Review

    Now let's get in to more details of our Panasonic ZS3 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
    229g Light Body
    25mm Wide Angle Lens
    300mm Good Tele Lens
    12.0X Optical Zoom
    Report a correction

    Buy Panasonic ZS3 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: 10.0MP
    Low Screen Resolution ( 460kdots )
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    No Manual Focusing
    No Manual Exposure
    No Environmental Sealing
    Slow Lens at Wide: f3.30
    Slow Lens at Tele: f4.90
    Report a correction
    What type of Photography is Panasonic ZS3 Good for?
    In this section, we review and score Panasonic ZS3 in 5 different photography areas.

    Panasonic ZS3 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 has a score of 16 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 theZS3.
    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 of how we scored Panasonic ZS3 for Portrait Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 for Street Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 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
    25 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 ZS3 for Street Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 has a score of 16 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 theZS3.
    11 Focus Points
    Image Stabilization
    300 mm Tele Lens
    Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
    Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
    Environmental Sealings
    Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No Built-in Viewfinder
    No External Flash Shoe
    No RAW shooting capability

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic ZS3 for Sports Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 has a score of 61 for Daily Photography which makes it a GOOD candidate for this type of photography. If you are looking for a camera that is better suited to Daily Photography, we recommend you to check our Top 10 Compact Cameras for Daily Photography list.
    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 of how we scored Panasonic ZS3 for Daily Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography

    Panasonic ZS3 has a score of 15 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 theZS3.
    25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
    No Manual Exposure Mode
    No Manual Focus Mode
    No RAW shooting capability
    Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
    Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
    No Environmental Sealings

    Read the details of how we scored Panasonic ZS3 for Landscape Photography
    Panasonic ZS3 Alternatives
    In this section, we analyse how Panasonic ZS3 compares with other Compact cameras within a similar price range.
    Read a more detailed analysis of Panasonic ZS3 alternatives.

    Popular Comparisons of Panasonic ZS3

    Here is the eight most popular comparisons of Panasonic ZS3 amongst Camera Decision readers.

    Panasonic ZS7
    Panasonic ZS7
    Compare
    Panasonic ZS5
    Panasonic ZS5
    Compare
    Panasonic ZS8
    Panasonic ZS8
    Compare
    Panasonic LX5
    Panasonic LX5
    Compare
    Panasonic ZS50
    Panasonic ZS50
    Compare
    Nikon S9300
    Nikon S9300
    Compare
    Canon SD960 IS
    Canon SD960 IS
    Compare
    Panasonic LX3
    Panasonic LX3
    Compare

    Panasonic ZS3 Alternatives in Cameras

    It would also be interesting to compare Panasonic ZS3 with Cameras. Below we have listed 4 highest ranked cameras in Panasonic ZS3's price range.

    Frequently Asked Questions about Panasonic ZS3
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have Image Stabilization?
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have RAW support?
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have Weather Sealing?
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have built-in GPS?
    What is the Max ISO of Panasonic ZS3?
    What is the Sensor Size of Panasonic ZS3?
    is the Panasonic ZS3 a Full Frame (FF) camera?
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have Touch Screen?
    Does the Panasonic ZS3 have built-in Wireless?
    What is the Max Continuous Shooting Speed (fps) of Panasonic ZS3?
    What is the Weight of Panasonic ZS3?
    What are the Dimensions of Panasonic ZS3?
    Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Detailed Specifications

    General
    Brand Panasonic
    Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
    Also known as Lumix DMC-TZ7
    Announced 2009-05-14
    Body Type Compact
    Lens
    Manual Focus
    Lens Mount fixed lens
    Lens Focal Range 25-300 mm (12×)
    Max Aperture F3.3-4.9
    Macro Focus Range 3cm
    Screen
    Screen Type Fixed Type
    Screen Size 3"
    Screen Resolution 460k 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 60s
    Max Mechanical Shutter Speed 1/2000s
    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 5.30 m (Auto ISO)
    Flash Modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync
    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"
    Sensor Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm
    Sensor Area 27.72mm2
    Sensor Resolution 10 megapixels
    Max Image Resolution 3648 x 2736
    Max Native ISO 6,400
    Min Native ISO 80
    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 (30 fps), 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps)
    Max Video Resolution 1280 x 720
    Video Formats AVCHD Lite
    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 229g
    Physical Dimensions 103 x 60 x 33mm
    Other Features
    Self Timer Yes (2 or 10 sec)
    Timelapse Recording
    GPS None
    Storage Type SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal
    Storage Slots 1


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