Canon SX500 IS vs Panasonic FZ300

Its time to look more closely at the Canon SX500 IS and Panasonic FZ300, both Small Sensor Superzoom digital cameras by companies Canon and Panasonic. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the SX500 IS (16MP) and FZ300 (12MP) but both cameras have the same sensor sizes (1/2.3").

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The SX500 IS was unveiled 3 years before the FZ300 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of these cameras have different body design with the Canon SX500 IS being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FZ300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a simple summation of how the SX500 IS matches up against the FZ300 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Canon PowerShot SX500 IS and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300. The full galleries are provided at Canon SX500 IS Gallery and Panasonic FZ300 Gallery.

If you're aiming to lug around your camera frequently, you'll have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Canon SX500 IS has got exterior measurements of 104mm x 70mm x 80mm (4.1" x 2.8" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 341 grams (0.75 lbs) whilst the Panasonic FZ300 has dimensions of 132mm x 92mm x 117mm (5.2" x 3.6" x 4.6") and a weight of 691 grams (1.52 lbs).

Contrast the Canon SX500 IS and Panasonic FZ300 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary dependant on the lens you are using during that time. Here is a front view measurements comparison of the SX500 IS and the FZ300.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the SX500 IS and FZ300 is 80 and 59 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to visualize the difference between sensor measurements merely by reading through specs. The photograph here should give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the SX500 IS and FZ300.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have the same sensor dimensions albeit different MP. You should expect the Canon SX500 IS to give extra detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop photographs a bit more aggressively. The older SX500 IS is going to be behind when it comes to sensor technology.