Canon D30 vs Panasonic FH5

Following is a detailed assessment of the Canon D30 versus Panasonic FH5, one is a Waterproof and the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Canon and Panasonic. There is a sizeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the D30 (12MP) and FH5 (16MP) but both cameras offer the same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The D30 was introduced 3 years after the FH5 which is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have the same body design (Compact).

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief overview of how the D30 matches up versus the FH5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Canon PowerShot D30 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5. The whole galleries are available at Canon D30 Gallery and Panasonic FH5 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and volume. The Canon D30 enjoys outer dimensions of 109mm x 68mm x 28mm (4.3" x 2.7" x 1.1") along with a weight of 218 grams (0.48 lbs) while the Panasonic FH5 has sizing of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") having a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Take a look at the Canon D30 versus Panasonic FH5 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is a front view scale comparison of the D30 and the FH5.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the D30 and FH5 is 91 and 96 respectively.

In many cases, it can be hard to picture the difference between sensor sizes only by looking at a spec sheet. The image underneath may offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the D30 and FH5.

As you can see, both the cameras have the same sensor dimensions but different resolution. You should anticipate the Panasonic FH5 to resolve extra detail using its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will allow you to crop images a bit more aggressively. The fresher D30 provides a benefit in sensor innovation.