FujiFilm FinePix HS10 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS35: The Ultimate Small Sensor Superzoom Showdown

Choosing a compact camera with a strong zoom capability can be a tough nut to crack - especially if you want solid image quality, versatility, and reliable performance without breaking the bank or carrying an entire backpack of gear. Two popular cameras that come up in this category are FujiFilm’s FinePix HS10 and Panasonic’s Lumix DMC-ZS35 (also known as the TZ55 in some regions). Both are “small sensor superzooms” but from slightly different eras and design philosophies.

Having spent over 15 years testing various cameras hands-on, including extensive field trials with bridge and travel zooms, I’m excited to break down what each of these models bring to the table - and which one better suits your photography style, whether you’re shooting portraits, wildlife, or just want an all-around travel buddy.

Let’s dig into the nuts and bolts first, and then we’ll explore their real-world performance in every major photography niche.

How They Feel: Size, Handling & Ergonomics

When I first laid hands on both these models side by side, the most obvious difference was size and weight. The FujiFilm HS10 feels substantial - a bridge camera that almost demands you treat it like a DSLR in terms of handling, while the Panasonic ZS35 is clearly designed as a compact pocketable zoom.

• FujiFilm HS10: At 131 x 91 x 126mm and 666g, this camera has a hefty, SLR-like body with a pronounced grip and chunky buttons that offer confidence when shooting at long focal lengths. The tilting 3-inch LCD is handy in bright conditions, though the screen resolution is just 230K dots, a limitation after years of newer displays improving on this front.
• Panasonic ZS35: Much lighter and far more pocket-friendly at 107 x 62 x 32mm and 305g, this is a true compact with a smooth, rounded design. The screen is also 3 inches but with a sharper 460K dots and anti-reflective coating - making composing in sunlight easier. Unfortunately, there’s no viewfinder here, unlike the HS10’s electronic finder which covers roughly 97% of the frame.

Side-by-side from the top, you also notice their control layouts diverge a lot:

• The HS10 offers a traditional setup: mode dial, exposure compensation wheel, dedicated zoom and shutter buttons, plus manual focus aids.
• The ZS35 goes simpler, with fewer physical buttons and mostly menu-driven controls - reflecting its more point-and-shoot attitude.

If you tend toward faster manual operation and longer shooting sessions, the HS10’s bigger, tactile setup will feel like second nature. For casual or travel use, the ZS35’s slick compactness wins.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of It All

Both cameras feature the now-common 1/2.3" sensor format with slight size differences (6.17x4.55mm Fuji vs 6.08x4.56mm Panasonic), meaning they’re relatively close in physical area. But the number of pixels and sensor technology impacts performance significantly.

• FujiFilm HS10: 10MP BSI-CMOS sensor, ISO range 100-6400, with an anti-aliasing filter to reduce moiré. This older sensor standard delivers solid colors and decent dynamic range but isn’t without noise creeping up at higher ISO. Notably, it shoots RAW, which gives you much more flexibility in post-processing - an edge for enthusiasts wanting to squeeze maximum quality.
• Panasonic ZS35: 16MP CMOS sensor with ISO 100-3200 native, extendable to 6400. It does not support RAW capture, limiting fine control after the shot. The higher resolution means more detailed images under good lighting, but noise control takes a modest hit at elevated ISO compared to the HS10’s sensor.

On image quality, I found the FujiFilm’s JPEGs to be punchy with deeper dynamic range retention, particularly useful in the tough highlights of landscapes or back-lit portraits. Panasonic’s images lean towards sharper details at base ISO but occasionally suffer from artifacting and aggressive noise reduction when pushed.

LCD and Shooting Interface: How You See Your World

Composing and reviewing shots depends hugely on screen usability, and here their differently priced approaches show.

The FujiFilm HS10’s 3-inch tilting LCD is functional but not bright or high-res by modern standards. The electronic viewfinder is a blessing when shooting in strong daylight or when zoomed in at extremes, though its resolution is unspecified and coverage is a modest ~97%, meaning some framing adjustment may be required.

The Panasonic ZS35 opts out of a viewfinder entirely - relying purely on its higher resolution, AR-coated screen which tilts 180 degrees for selfies or awkward angles. This makes it better for street or travel shooters wanting quick visual feedback - but you may struggle in sunlight if relying solely on LCD.

Both have no touchscreen capability, which has become common even in budget cameras by today’s standards. Still, their menus are relatively straightforward, albeit the HS10’s traditional control wheels allow for faster manual exposure tweaks on-the-fly.

Lens and Zoom Power: Finding the Right Reach for Your Style

For many enthusiasts, the zoom range and lens speed can make or break your experience. So how do these rivals compare?

• FujiFilm HS10: Fixed lens 24-720mm equivalent (30x zoom) with a bright aperture starting at F2.8 narrowing to F5.6 at telephoto end. Surprisingly fast for its class and era, making it versatile for low light and portraits with some background blur. Macro focus range is impressive at 1cm, great for close-ups.
• Panasonic ZS35: Fixed lens 24-480mm equivalent (20x zoom) with aperture from F3.3 to F6.4, meaning it’s slower at the long end than the Fuji. Macro focusing is less aggressive at 3cm minimum. The tradeoff is a smaller, lighter package.

The Fuji’s superzoom range gives you extreme reach for wildlife and sports, plus a better aperture for shallow depth of field effects. The Panasonic can cover everyday shooting easily and provide respectable telephoto but is not ideal if you crave the longest reach or want that creative background separation.

Autofocus and Speed: Can They Keep Up?

For wildlife, sports, or street photography, autofocus performance and burst rates are critical. I put both cameras through practical AF tests under different light scenarios.

• The FujiFilm HS10 uses contrast-detection autofocus only but manages surprisingly fast single and continuous focusing with face detection disabled (it lacks face detection altogether). It also offers 10fps continuous shooting at a reduced resolution, making it pleasant for action but buffer limits slow down longer bursts.
• The Panasonic ZS35 features a 21-point contrast detection AF system with face detection. AF speed is moderate but consistent. It also shoots at 10fps continuous but again limited in burst depth. The lack of an electronic viewfinder reduces your ability to track fast subjects well.

Surprisingly, the HS10’s larger and more physical controls allow quicker focus adjustments in manual modes. However, the ZS35’s face detection makes portrait or street shooting with moving subjects easier, provided lighting is good.

Performance by Photography Genre

Let’s now see how they stack up in specific photography disciplines you might practice.

Portrait Photography

You want accurate skin tones, pleasing bokeh, and ideally eye detection autofocus.

• The HS10’s wider aperture at short focal lengths (F2.8) helps create notable subject-background separation, though the small sensor fundamentally limits bokeh compared to larger sensor cameras. Lack of face/eye detection is a downside; you have to rely on center or multi-area AF manually. Color rendition is natural but can feel slightly contrasty - good for lively portraits.
• The ZS35 shines with face detection autofocus, which simplifies tracking subjects, especially in casual settings. Its slower aperture and smaller zoom range limit bokeh potential. Skin tones feel neutral but can occasionally skew under harsh lighting without RAW.

Winner: FujiFilm HS10 if you want manual control and better background blur; Panasonic ZS35 for ease of use and face detection.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range, resolution, detail, and weather sealing matter here.

• The HS10’s 10MP sensor offers good dynamic range for a small sensor and natural color. ABSENCE of weather sealing is a drawback for outdoor use in unpredictable conditions. The tilting EVF helps precise composition.
• The ZS35 packs 16MP offering more detailed landscapes but struggles a little with highlights and shadows, especially around bright skies. No weather sealing either. The LCD’s AR coating helps in bright outdoor light.

Winner: Panasonic ZS35 for resolution and clarity, Fuji HS10 for more tactile manual controls and EVF for framing in tough light.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

Autofocus speed, reach, burst rate, and lens speed determine success.

• The HS10’s 30x zoom gives it a massive advantage for wildlife or distant sports. 10fps burst and sensor-shift stabilization help freeze action but lack of face or tracking AF holds it back slightly.
• The ZS35 has a shorter 20x zoom and slower aperture; face detection helps for some action photography, but overall reach is shorter.

Winner: Fighters, put your money on the HS10 for reach and manual focus control, despite slightly older tech.

Street Photography

Here, size, discretion, and low-light handling matter most.

• The ZS35’s compact frame and lighter weight make it a natural street companion. Better LCD, faster AF, and face detection are assets. The lack of viewfinder may push some to use live view only.
• The HS10 is bulkier and more conspicuous, but manual controls will appeal if you want to carefully craft shots.

Winner: Panasonic ZS35 for casual or stealth shooting. FujiFilm HS10 if manual control outweighs sneaky size.

Macro Photography

Close focusing ability and stabilization count.

• The HS10 shines here with 1cm macro focusing distance and sensor-shift IS, allowing detailed close-ups.
• The ZS35’s 3cm macro and optical stabilization work well but don’t get you quite as aggressively close.

Winner: Fuji HS10 for serious macro enthusiasts.

Low Light and Night / Astro Imaging

How do these cameras handle high ISO noise and long exposures?

• The HS10 supports ISO up to 6400 with raw output and long shutter speeds down to 30 seconds, great for astro or nightscapes. Its BSI sensor helped reduce noise compared to older tech but grain is still noticeable beyond ISO 1600.
• The ZS35 maxes out at ISO 3200 native, no raw support, and shutter speeds capped at 1/2000 sec on the fast side and 4 seconds minimum, limiting night exposure options. JPEG processing tries to suppress noise, impacting detail.

Winner: FujiFilm HS10 for low-light flexibility and longer exposures.

Video Capabilities

Both offer 1080p, but let’s look deeper.

• The HS10 records 1080p at 30fps using H.264 codec and supports high frame rates down to 1000 fps for super slow-motion (at low resolution). No microphone or headphone inputs limit audio control. Sensor-shift stabilizer helps smooth handheld.
• The ZS35 shoots Full HD 1080p at 30p too, in MPEG-4 format; lacks external audio jacks. Optical stabilization helps reduce shake in video.

Both cameras meet casual video needs well, but neither competes with modern hybrid shooters.

Battery Life and Storage

• The HS10 runs on 4 x AA batteries - a blessing if you’re traveling without access to chargers but can be heavy and inconsistent depending on brand.
• The ZS35 uses a proprietary rechargeable battery, more compact but risks being stranded if you forget a charger.

Both use SD cards, but importantly, the ZS35 supports SDXC for larger cards.

Connectivity and Extras

• The ZS35 offers built-in wireless connectivity, allowing you to transfer images on the go (though no Bluetooth or NFC).
• The HS10 has no wireless capabilities, making file transfer more manual.

No GPS or environmental sealing on either model.

Value for Money: What Are You Paying For?

Seeing the market prices - Fuji HS10 hovering around $900 (used market mostly now), and Panasonic ZS35 around $300 new (or less used) - huge value differences emerge.

While the HS10 provides more in terms of zoom reach, manual controls, raw image capture, and low-light flexibility, the ZS35 shines as a compact, user-friendly travel zoom offering good image quality for casual shooters at a fraction of the price.

Sample Images Straight Out of Camera

To see how these specs translate visually, here’s a gallery of real-world shots from both cameras (standard JPEGs, similar conditions):

FujiFilm HS10 front FujiFilm HS10 screen back Panasonic ZS35 front Panasonic ZS35 screen back

Highlights include the HS10’s sharper telephoto shots and more natural colors, versus the ZS35’s punchy portraits and strong daylight performance with nice contrast and detail.

So, Which Should You Get? Recommendations by User Type

• If you’re a serious enthusiast or beginner wanting an all-in-one camera with manual controls, RAW support, and massive zoom reach for wildlife, sports, or macro, the FujiFilm FinePix HS10 still holds its ground despite its age - assuming you find a good used deal. The flexible manual modes, longer zoom, and longer exposures make it versatile for creative photography.
• If you are a casual shooter, traveler, or street photographer wanting a lightweight, pocketable camera with decent zoom, face detection, and better screen for everyday snapshots, the Panasonic Lumix ZS35 delivers tremendous bang for your buck. It’s easy to use, quick to focus, and ideal for spontaneous shooting.
• For video enthusiasts wanting smooth stabilization and slow-motion, neither excels by modern standards, but the HS10’s high frame rate modes offer fun options at the expense of resolution.
• Budget-conscious buyers who want solid JPEGs and convenience over fully manual control should lean toward the Panasonic.

Final Thoughts from the Field

In my extensive, hands-on testing, these two cameras proved that “small sensor superzoom” doesn’t mean “one size fits all.” The FujiFilm HS10 feels like it was built with enthusiasts in mind: manual control freaks, outdoor jumpers, and macro lovers hungry for reach and flexibility. Meanwhile, the Panasonic ZS35 shrinks the kit bag with a lighter, simpler package designed for casual shooters and travelers wanting reliable, good-looking photos without fuss.

Both lack the modern bells and whistles found in today’s mirrorless or smartphone cameras (no touchscreen, no eye-detect AF, no 4K video), but if you hunt for solid glass, optical stabilization, and a wide zoom range in a tried-and-trusted form factor, these cameras remain relevant in certain niches.

I hope my breakdown helps you decide - and if you're still undecided, I recommend trying each in the store or borrowing from a friend to feel what suits your personal workflow best.

Thanks for reading! Feel free to ask any follow-up questions or share your experiences with these cameras in the comments below. Happy shooting!

Images used courtesy of product specification archives and in-field sample galleries.