Updated (January, 2011): Compare the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 vs Sony Cybershot DSC-HX7V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5

68

Reasons to buy the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5

GPS
Built-in GPS
Great for travel
Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Continuous shooting
Rapid fire
10 fps
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

58

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-ZS3

True resolution Significantly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9 MP
Help
Capture around 10% more detail in your photos
Zoom More zoom 12x vs 10x
Help
More than 40% more zoom
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
2x higher resolution screen
Aperture Wider aperture f/3.3 vs f/3.5
Help
At its widest zoom, the DMC-ZS3's lens captures marginally more light (0.2 f-stops)
Sensor size Larger sensor 1/2.3" 6.1x4.6mm vs 1/2.5" 6.3x4.2mm
Help
Around 10% larger sensor
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 6,400 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Macro focus Better macro capability 3 cm vs 5 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 40% closer to the lens
Longest exposure Significantly longer exposures 60s vs 30s
Help
2x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2000s vs 1/1600s
Help
20% faster max shutter speed
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-ZS3

Advantages of the Sony DSC-HX5

GPS Has a GPS Yes vs No
Help
Automatically geotags your photos when traveling
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
Continuous shooting Shoots significantly faster 10 fps vs 2.3 fps
Help
Around 4.5x faster continuous shooting
Size Smaller 102x58x29 mm vs 103x60x33 mm
Help
Around 20% smaller
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The DSC-HX5's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Weight Lighter 200 g vs 229 g
Help
More than 10% lighter
Thickness Thinner 1.1" vs 1.3"
Help
More than 10% thinner
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 Learn more about
the Sony DSC-HX5
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent travel zooms, and ignoring price

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
58 vs 68
Explain scores
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Wide angle Good wide angle Help
25 mm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Longest exposure Long exposures Help
DMC-ZS3:60s
DSC-HX5:30s
Weight Heavy Help
DMC-ZS3:229 g
DSC-HX5:200 g
Thickness Quite thick Help
DMC-ZS3:1.3"
DSC-HX5:1.1"
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Size Large Help
DMC-ZS3:103x60x33 mm
DSC-HX5:102x58x29 mm

Compared to recent travel zooms

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
High-speed framerate No high speed movie support Help
Not supported
Zoom Poor zoom Help
DMC-ZS3:12x
DSC-HX5:10x

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Screen resolution Has a significantly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20

Panasonic Lumix ZS20

Travel zoom

$290 - $350

Zoom Has way more more zoom
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Travel zoom

$328

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS7

Travel zoom

$361

Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Size Is significantly smaller
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Screen size Has a significantly smaller screen
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Has a much wider aperture
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX50

Sony Cyber-shot WX50

Ultra compact

$178 - $198

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Size Is significantly smaller
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Longest exposure Significantly shorter exposures

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS5

Travel zoom

$298

Size Slightly smaller
Weight Lighter
Screen size Significantly smaller screen
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

Travel zoom

$159 - $271

Zoom More zoom
Wide angle Better wide angle
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS1

Travel zoom

Screen size Significantly smaller screen
True resolution Much lower true resolution

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Sony Cybershot DSC-H70

Sony Cybershot H70

Travel zoom

$180

Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera
True resolution Significantly higher true resolution
GPS No built-in GPS
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX7V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7v

Travel zoom

$321

Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
3D Takes 3D photos
Lowest price More expensive
Weight Slightly heavier
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX20V

Travel zoom

$399

Zoom Much more zoom
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Size Significantly larger
Weight Significantly heavier
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX10V

Travel zoom

$328

Zoom Significantly more zoom
Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Size Larger
Weight Heavier

appearance

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5

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