Nikon D100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
      52
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      49
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      Disclosure: We earn money from the affiliate links to products associated with content in this article.

      Overview

      In this comparison, we will evaluate the Nikon D100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3, highlighting the advantages of each over the other, discussing their pros and cons, shared strengths and weaknesses, and providing a rating based on their available features and specifications to assist you in choosing the one that best suits your needs.

      Nikon D100 was introduced in July 2002 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 was introduced in May 2009. Let us first list highlights of the models.

      Nikon D100 Highlights

      • 6.1 MP APS-C CCD Sensor
      • 200 - 1,600 Native ISO
      • 1.8" 118k dot Fixed Screen
      • Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder
      • 3.0 fps Continuous Shooting
      • Built-in Flash

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 Highlights

      • 10 MP 1/2.33-inch CCD Sensor
      • 80 - 6,400 Native ISO
      • 11 Focus Points
      • Image Stabilization
      • 3.0" 460k dot Fixed Screen
      • 2.3 fps Continuous Shooting
      • 1280 x 720 Video Shooting
      • Built-in Flash
      Table of Contents
      1. Overview
      2. Pros and Cons
      3. Advantage of Nikon D100
      4. Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
      5. Common Strengths and Weaknesses
      6. Screen and Viewfinder
      7. Sensor
      8. Photography Features
      9. Connectivity, Battery and Storage
      10. Other Features
      11. Physical Parameters
      12. For Different Types of Photography
      13. Evaluations
      14. Specifications  

      Now that we've looked at the most essential specifications and gained a basic understanding of these cameras, we can delve into more details and see the differences between them.

      Pros and Cons

      In this section we present pros and cons of Nikon D100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

      PROS

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Video Capture
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   Live View Autofocus
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Built-in Flash
      •   Light - 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz)
      •   Internal Storage
      •   Orientation Sensor

      CONS

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      •   No Video Capture
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10 Megapixel
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.3 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      •   No Environmental Sealing


      And here are some specifications which fall into average criteria and are neither in PROs nor in CONs category:

      AVERAGE

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      •   Weight - 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz)
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"

      Advantage of Nikon D100

      Nikon D100
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Nikon D100 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

      Nikon D100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
      Larger Sensor APS-C vs 1/2.33-inch
      RAW Support vs
      Multi Area Autofocus vs
      Selective Autofocus vs
      Continuous Autofocus vs
      Phase Detection for Autofocus vs
      Top LCD Screen vs
      Viewfinder Optical (pentaprism) vs
      Higher Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) 1/4000 sec vs 1/2000 sec
      Higher Max Continuous Shooting 3.0 fps vs 2.3 fps
      External Flash Connectivity vs
      Manual Exposure Mode vs
      Aperture Priority vs
      Shutter Priority vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Nikon D100.

      Nikon D200
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      APS-C

      10.2 MP

      Nikon D5200
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      24.1 MP

      Canon Rebel T5
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      18.0 MP

      Canon 5DS
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      50.6 MP

      Leica M10
      Image cannot be found

      Full Frame

      24 MP

      Sigma SD9
      Image cannot be found

      APS-C

      3 MP

      Sony a5000
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      APS-C

      20.1 MP

      Fujifilm GFX 50S II
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      Medium format

      51.4 MP

      Panasonic GF1
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      Micro Four Thirds

      12 MP

      Nikon Z30
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      APS-C

      20.9 MP

      Canon 70D
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      APS-C

      20.2 MP

      Nikon Z9
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      Full Frame

      45.7 MP

      Advantage of Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      Panasonic ZS3
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      This section shows those features and specifications which are the reason to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 over Nikon D100.

      Nikon D100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
      Video Capture vs
      Higher Sensor Resolution 6.1 Megapixel vs 10 Megapixel
      Lower Native ISO 200 vs 80
      Higher Native ISO 1,600 vs 6,400
      Max Image Resolution 3008 x 2000 vs 3648 x 2736
      Image Stabilization vs
      Larger Screen 1.8" vs 3.0"
      Higher Resolution Screen 118k dot vs 460k dot
      Live View vs
      Lower Min Shutter Speed 30 sec vs 60 sec
      Multi-Segment Metering vs
      Center Weighted Metering vs
      Spot Metering vs
      Higher USB Speed USB 1.0 (1.5 Mbit/sec) vs USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
      Built-in Microphone vs Mono
      Lighter 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz) vs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz)
      Internal Storage vs 40 MB
      Orientation Sensor vs

      Check out other cameras which are frequently compared to Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

      Panasonic ZS7
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      1/2.33-inch

      12.1 MP

      Panasonic ZS1
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      1/2.5-inch

      10.1 MP

      Panasonic ZS5
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      1/2.33-inch

      12.1 MP

      Panasonic ZS8
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      1/2.33-inch

      14.1 MP

      Panasonic FX580
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      1/2.33-inch

      12 MP

      Canon 7D II
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      APS-C

      20.2 MP

      Sony a7 III
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      Full Frame

      24.2 MP

      Canon R50
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Canon R10
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      APS-C

      24.2 MP

      Canon R100
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      APS-C

      24.1 MP

      Sony a7S III
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      Full Frame

      12.1 MP

      Canon R7
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      APS-C

      32.5 MP

      Common Strengths and Weaknesses

      We already listed pros and cons of each model. However, you may also find useful to look at their common strengths and weaknesses shown side-by-side.

      STRENGTHS Nikon D100 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
        Live View Autofocus
        Built-in Flash
      WEAKNESSES Nikon D100 Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3
        Low Resolution Sensor6.1 Megapixel10 Megapixel
        Timelapse Recording
        No Face Detection
        Screen TypeFixedFixed
        Low Resolution Screen118k dot460k dot
        Low Max Continuous Shooting3.0 fps2.3 fps
        No Microphone Input
        No Headphone Output
        No Built-in GPS
        No Built-In Wi-Fi
        No Built-In Bluetooth
        No Environmental Sealing

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Screen

      Nikon D100 has a 1.8" screen with 118k dot resolution and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 has a 3.0" screen with 460k dot resolution. Both have Fixed screens.


      Optical (pentaprism) Viewfinder on Nikon D100

      Nikon D100 has a built-in Optical (pentaprism) viewfinder. It has a 95% coverage and 0.80x (0.53x 35mm equivalent) magnification. There is no built-in or optional viewfinder available on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

      Sensor

      Nikon D100 features a 6.1 megapixel APS-C CCD sensor with dimensions of 23.7 x 15.6 mm and a total area of 369.7 mm2. Its native ISO range is 200 - 1,600. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 features a 10 megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD sensor with dimensions of 6.08 x 4.56 mm and a total area of 20.8 mm2. Its native ISO range is 80 - 6,400.

      Photography Features

      Nikon D100 can take pictures up to 3008 x 2000 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 2240 x 1488, 1504 x 1000 with 3:2 aspect ratios. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 can take pictures up to 3648 x 2736 resolution. It can also take pictures with lower resolution like 3776 x 2520, 3968 x 2232, 3072 x 2304, 3168 x 2112, 3328 x 1872, 2560 x 1920, 2656 x 1768, 2784 x 1568, 2048 x 1536, 2112 x 1408, 2208 x 1248, 1920 x 1080, 1600 x 1200, 640 x 480 with 4:3, 3:2, 16:9 aspect ratios.

      Image Stabilization on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 has an image stabilization.

      Connectivity, Battery and Storage

      USB Inputs

      Both models have USB inputs for data transfer.


      External Storage Slots

      Nikon D100 has a single CompactFlash (Type I/II, compliant with UDMA), MicroDrive card slot. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 has a single SD/MMC/SDHC card slot.

      Other Features

      Shutter

      Nikon D100 has Electronic assist shutter. Shutter speed can go up to 1/4000 sec on Nikon D100, and up to 1/2000 sec on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. Nikon D100 can shoot continuously up to 3.0 fps. Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 can shoot continuously up to 2.3 fps.


      Flash

      Cameras have built-in flash with maximum range of 11.00 m at ISO 100 on Nikon D100 and 5.30 m Auto ISO on Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3. Nikon D100 also accepts external flash. The fastest flash synchronization speed is 1/180 sec on Nikon D100.

      Physical Parameters

      Nikon D100 body has dimensions of 144 x 116 x 81 mm (5.67 x 4.57 x 3.19") and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 body has dimensions of 103 x 60 x 33 mm (4.06 x 2.36 x 1.3"). Nikon D100 weighs 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz) and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 weighs 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz).

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      144 mm

      116 mm

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      103 mm

      60 mm

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      116 mm

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      60 mm

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      Size comparisons of Nikon D100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      Nikon D100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 for Different Types of Photography

      We give scores to the cameras for six types of photography based on their features and specifications. Let us see how suitable they are for each type of photography.

      Landscape Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      AVERAGE
      56
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      POOR
      46
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing

      Sports Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      POOR
      50
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      AVERAGE
      55
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.3 fps
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Wildlife Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      POOR
      49
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.3 fps
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Portrait Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      AVERAGE
      66
      •   No Face Detection
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      AVERAGE
      60
      •   Small Sensor
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No External Flash Connectivity
      •   Orientation Sensor

      Street Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      GOOD
      73
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Live View
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz)
      GOOD
      82
      •   Small Sensor
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz)

      Travel Photography

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      GOOD
      73
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz)
      EXCELLENT
      86
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz)

      Evaluations

      We evaluate Nikon D100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3 and give them scores of 52 and 49 out of 100 recpectively. We also give separate scores for 7 different categories according to the available features and specifications some of which are listed below. These evaluations are relative and may change each time a new camera is added to the database.


      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      OVERALL
      52
      OVERALL
      49

      Sensor

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      AVERAGE
      59
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 6.1 Megapixel
      •   200 Lowest Native ISO
      •   1,600 Highest Native ISO
      POOR
      45
      •   Small Sensor
      •   Low Resolution Sensor - 10 Megapixel
      •   80 Lowest Native ISO
      •   6,400 Highest Native ISO

      Photo

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      POOR
      51
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   No Image Stabilization
      •   Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/4000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 3.0 fps
      •   Max Flash Sync Speed - 1/180 sec
      AVERAGE
      58
      •   Timelapse Recording
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Max Shutter Speed (Mechanical or 1st Curtain) - 1/2000 sec
      •   Low Max Continuous Shooting - 2.3 fps
      •   No External Flash Connectivity

      Video

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      BAD
      0
      •   No Image Stabilization
      POOR
      43
      •   Image Stabilization
      •   Low Video Resolution - 1280 x 720

      Focusing

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      GOOD
      84
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus
      POOR
      54
      •   11 Focus Points
      •   No Face Detection
      •   Live View Autofocus

      Screen and Viewfinder

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      AVERAGE
      64
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Small Screen - 1.8"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 118k dot
      POOR
      53
      •   Fixed Screen
      •   Screen Size - 3.0"
      •   Low Resolution Screen - 460k dot
      •   No Viewfinder

      Connectivity

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      BAD
      33
      •   Low USB Speed
      •   No HDMI Output
      •   No Built-in Microphone
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth
      BAD
      38
      •   No Microphone Input
      •   No Headphone Output
      •   No Built-in GPS
      •   No Built-In Wi-Fi
      •   No Built-In Bluetooth

      Battery, Storage and Physical

      Nikon D100

      Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3

      BAD
      39
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Weight - 780 g (1.72 lb / 27.51 oz)
      POOR
      48
      •   No Environmental Sealing
      •   Light - 229 g (0.50 lb / 8.08 oz)
      •   Internal Storage


      For a full specification list please go to the specifications page:

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