The Canon PowerShot G11 is the most expensive of these two cameras, by a quite considerable margin. And it also proved to be the superior performer in many of our tests, with lower noise and sharper images. But the ZS3 was the winner in others, with better image stabilization, and more accurate color. The ZS3 was also the superior performer in shooting video; it captures video at a higher resolution, with more detail and better color.
It's also a mixed race in terms of specifications: the ZS3 has a much longer zoom, which means it can get closer to the action. The two cameras shoot images at about the same 10-megapixel resolution and have a similar range of shooting modes, with both offering full manual modes. However, the manual mode of the G11 is much easier to use, with the several dials and buttons making setting options much easier.
If you are looking to choose between the two, the decider could be the need for video. If you don't need to shoot videos, the G11 shoots the better quality images. But if you want to shoot video more than occasionally, then the ZS3 may be the right pick.
