Canon S3 IS vs Panasonic DMC-ZS3

differences

Advantages of the Canon S3 IS

Significantly wider aperture

f/2.7

f/3.3

At its widest zoom, the S3 IS's lens captures slightly more light (0.6 f-stops)

Has a flip-out screen

Yes

Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies

Has a viewfinder

Digital

None

A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off

Significantly faster max shutter speed

1/3200s

1/2000s

Around 40% faster max shutter speed

Learn more about
the Canon S3 IS

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-ZS3

Much better wide angle

25 mm

36 mm

More than 30% better wide angle

Much larger screen

3.0"

2.0"

More than 50% larger screen

Much higher true resolution

9.8 MP

5.9 MP

Capture more than 60% more detail in your photos

Significantly smaller

103x60x33 mm

113x78x76 mm

3.3x smaller

Significantly higher resolution screen

460k dots

115k dots

4x higher resolution screen

Higher resolution movies

720p @ 30fps

480p @ 30fps

Shoots high resolution HD (720p) video

Much better macro capability

3 cm

10 cm

Focus on subjects 3.3x closer to the lens

Much lighter

229 g

510 g

2.2x lighter

Larger sensor

1/2.3" 6.1x4.6mm

1/2.5" 5.8x4.3mm

More than 10% larger sensor

Significantly thinner

1.3"

2.3x thinner

Has boost ISO

6,400 ISO

None

Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image

Better maximum light sensitivity

1,600 ISO

800 ISO

The DMC-ZS3's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better

Much longer exposures

60s

15s

4x longer exposures

Shoots slightly faster

2.3 fps

1.5 fps

More than 50% faster continuous shooting

Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-ZS3

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

30	vs	40
Explain scores

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Snapsort recommends the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a super zoom with a travel zoom.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the Canon S3 IS or the Panasonic DMC-ZS3,

For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

Select aspects that are most important to you: (max 3)

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canon s100 or the nikonp510
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Image stabilization
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Nikon D3200 or the Sony SLT A77
not to expensive
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which one is best
Burst
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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths

Common Weaknesses

	Good image stabilization
	Lens

	Neither camera stitches together panoramas
	You could stitch photos in post

	Lower-end sensor types
	CCD

	Neither has in-camera HDR
	You could do HDR manually

Poor maximum light sensitivity

S3 IS:	800 ISO
DMC-ZS3:	1,600 ISO

	Neither camera can take 3D photos
	No 3d support

	No touchscreens
	More buttons

Poor movies

S3 IS:	480p @ 30fps
DMC-ZS3:	720p @ 30fps

competitors

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Has a significantly wider aperture

Records higher quality movies

Has a slower max shutter speed

Compare the Powershot S100 vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Compare the Powershot S100 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Has way more more zoom

Records higher quality movies

Is thicker

Is much heavier

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Compare the Powershot SX40 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity

Records movies in 24p

Is thicker

Is significantly heavier

Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Compare the PowerShot G12 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Super zoom

$742

Has significantly more zoom

Slightly closer macro focusing

Is thicker

Is much heavier

Compare the PowerShot SX20 IS vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Compare the PowerShot SX20 IS vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Much larger sensor

Much higher true resolution

No image stabilization

Larger

Compare the D5100 vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Canon Rebel T3i

Entry-level DSLR

$619 - $700 body only

$745 - $1,000 with 18-55mm lens

Much larger sensor

Much higher true resolution

No image stabilization

Significantly larger

Compare the Rebel T3i vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Fujifilm FinePix S5200 Zoom

Super zoom

Much better macro capability

Shoots RAW

No image stabilization

Screen does not flip out

Compare the FinePix S5200 Zoom vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Canon PowerShot S95

Pro digicam

$340 - $389

Much larger screen

Much better wide angle

Screen does not flip out

Less zoom

Compare the PowerShot S95 vs the PowerShot S3 IS

Panasonic Lumix ZS20

Travel zoom

$290 - $350

Higher resolution movies

More zoom

Lower true resolution

Much shorter max exposures

Compare the Lumix ZS20 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Travel zoom

$328

Higher resolution movies

Has a touch screen

Compare the Lumix DMC-ZS10 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5

Travel zoom

$298

Slightly lighter

Significantly smaller screen

Lower resolution screen

Compare the Lumix DMC-ZS5 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Travel zoom

$361

Has a GPS

Compare the Lumix DMC-ZS7 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

Travel zoom

$161 - $271

More zoom

Better wide angle

Lower resolution screen

Compare the Lumix DMC-ZS8 vs the Lumix DMC-ZS3

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discussion

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Canon PowerShotS3 IS vs Panasonic LumixDMC-ZS3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S3 IS

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

differences

Advantages of the Canon S3 IS

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-ZS3

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

advice

Need help deciding?

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot S3 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon D5100

Canon Rebel T3i

Fujifilm FinePix S5200 Zoom

Canon PowerShot S95

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix ZS20

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

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Canon PowerShot
S3 IS
vs
Panasonic Lumix
DMC-ZS3