Canon SX120 IS vs Panasonic FZ40

In this article, we will be reviewing the Canon SX120 IS and Panasonic FZ40, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Canon and Panasonic. There exists a crucial gap among the sensor resolutions of the SX120 IS (10MP) and FZ40 (14MP) and the SX120 IS (1/2.5") and FZ40 (1/2.3") feature totally different sensor size.

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The SX120 IS was unveiled 11 months earlier than the FZ40 so they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras offer different body type with the Canon SX120 IS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight into a in-depth comparison, below is a concise summary of how the SX120 IS scores vs the FZ40 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Canon PowerShot SX120 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40. The full galleries are available at Canon SX120 IS Gallery and Panasonic FZ40 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to carry your camera regularly, you have to consider its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX120 IS has outside measurements of 111mm x 71mm x 45mm (4.4" x 2.8" x 1.8") having a weight of 285 grams (0.63 lbs) and the Panasonic FZ40 has dimensions of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") with a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs).

Check out the Canon SX120 IS and Panasonic FZ40 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at the time. Following is the front view dimensions comparison of the SX120 IS versus the FZ40.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the SX120 IS and FZ40 is 87 and 68 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very tough to see the contrast in sensor sizing only by viewing specs. The graphic below should offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the SX120 IS and FZ40.

As you can plainly see, both cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The SX120 IS with its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field tougher and the Panasonic FZ40 will result in greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older SX120 IS will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.