The Fujifilm HS35EXR vs. Panasonic ZS20: A Hands-On Comparison of Two Small Sensor Superzooms

When it comes to superzoom cameras - those bridge-style workhorses promising the convenience of a versatile zoom and the familiarity of a DSLR-esque handling - two models often end up on buyers’ radars: the Fujifilm FinePix HS35EXR and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS20. Both craft a compelling package for enthusiasts who want far-reaching focal ranges without swapping lenses. But beneath their superficially similar profiles lie significant differences impacting real-world usability, image quality, and creative potential.

Having spent weeks putting each of these cameras through rigorous testing across various photographic disciplines, I’m here to break down their strengths and limitations - no fluff, just hands-on experience combined with technical nuance. Consider this your definitive buyer’s guide if you’re trying to choose between the HS35EXR and ZS20, or simply curious about how these two superzooms stack up.

Getting Physical: Size, Ergonomics & Build Quality

One of the first tactile impressions you’ll encounter is the difference in size and handling. The Fujifilm HS35EXR has a true bridge-camera heft and design - it measures a substantial 131 x 97 x 126 mm and tips the scales at 687 grams. This SLR-like body offers a grippier experience with a pronounced handhold and tactile buttons. It’s the kind of camera that feels serious in hand, poised for deliberate shooting.

In contrast, the Panasonic ZS20 is a compact camera in every sense - measuring just 105 x 59 x 28 mm and weighing a much lighter 206 grams. This translates to superior portability and discretion, especially for travel and street photographers who value a low-profile setup.

Despite its smaller stature, the ZS20’s ergonomics are friendly, with well-placed buttons, but it cannot match the Fujifilm’s dedicated control dials and physical feedback. The HS35EXR’s build embodies traditional DSLR ergonomics with a decent sized zoom ring, thumb grip, and an electronic viewfinder that’s notably absent on the ZS20.

If you prioritize a camera that feels substantial and handheld stability counts for you - especially with long zooms - the Fujifilm’s body is thoughtfully designed. Meanwhile, commuters, travelers, and street shooters may appreciate the Panasonic’s compactness and lighter footprint.

Keeping an Eye on Controls: Layout and Interface

Operating a camera efficiently when the decisive moment strikes often depends heavily on intuitive layout and control design. Here, too, we see stark differences.

The Fujifilm HS35EXR deploys a traditional DSLR-style top plate packed with physical dials, buttons, and levers, as seen in the accompanying image.

Its mode dial, exposure compensation, and dedicated C1/C2 function buttons facilitate rapid adjustments without diverting attention from the subject. Additionally, the HS35EXR’s tilting 3-inch LCD with a resolution of 460k-dot provides ample articulation for creative angles.

Conversely, the Panasonic ZS20 features a simplified, flatter top with fewer physical controls. It compensates by integrating a touchscreen LCD of the same size and resolution, but fixed in place. The touch interface adds some convenience, especially for navigating menus and repositioning the autofocus point, but the absence of a viewfinder and fewer tactile controls may reduce shooting fluidity in bright outdoor or action scenarios.

The difference in approach reflects the Fuji’s more enthusiast-targeted design, encouraging manual interaction, while Panasonic pushes simplicity and compactness, aligned with casual use cases.

Under the Hood: Sensor Technology and Image Quality

Now, onto arguably the most pivotal aspect - image quality and sensor capabilities.

Both cameras have small sensors, but their shapes and characteristics vary:

• Fujifilm HS35EXR: 1/2" EXR CMOS sensor sized at 6.4 x 4.8 mm, 16 megapixels, with a 30.72 mm² sensor area.
• Panasonic ZS20: Slightly smaller 1/2.3" CMOS sensor at 6.08 x 4.56 mm, 14 megapixels, and a sensor area of 27.72 mm².

The Fujifilm boasts a higher resolution count and a marginally larger sensor surface, which theoretically supports better image detail and dynamic range. The EXR technology in the Fuji sensor was designed to optimize either resolution, dynamic range, or low noise, depending on the scene - an innovative technology for enhancing image quality despite the small sensor area.

In practice, the HS35EXR consistently delivers marginally sharper images, with better retained detail in highlights and shadows - important for demanding landscape or travel photography where post-processing latitude counts. Color reproduction also leans in Fuji’s favor, showing more vibrant and true-to-life renditions, especially with skin tones in portraiture.

The Panasonic ZS20 holds its own with commendable noise control at base ISO settings but starts showing noise earlier at higher ISOs compared to the Fuji. Worth noting, the ZS20’s max native ISO is 6400 vs. 3200 on the HS35EXR (but Fuji’s expanded ISO reaches 12800); however, the Fuji’s noise control at the expanded settings is often preferable, balancing shadow detail and grain better.

For everyday shooting - and especially in good light - the difference might be subtle, but if you need every drop of clarity or want to confidently push ISO in night/astro situations, the Fujifilm provides a slight edge.

How They Frame the World: Viewfinder and LCD Screen

Shooting versatility is enhanced by the viewfinding and LCD options. The Fuji clearly embraces the classic vision: a tilting LCD plus a built-in electronic viewfinder (EVF) with 100% coverage.

This EVF comes in handy under bright sunlight or low light, providing an eye-level shooting experience and steady framing - especially important with the Fuji’s enormous 30x zoom. The screen’s tilt-responsiveness adds comfort for low or high-angle shots.

The Panasonic ZS20 lacks any viewfinder, relying solely on the three-inch fixed touchscreen LCD. While the touchscreen speeds up AF point selection and menu navigation, the fixed screen hinders composition from difficult angles, and shooting in bright conditions demands shading the screen or extending your arm awkwardly.

In my experience, an EVF is indispensable when framing wildlife or sports shots because it’s more stable and conducive to tracking fast-moving subjects. Here, Fuji scores decisively.

Autofocus and Speed: Who Tracks the Action Better?

Both cameras use contrast-detection autofocus, without phase-detection pixels, which is typical for compact and bridge-type cameras of their era. But practical AF performance varies:

• The Fujifilm HS35EXR offers single, continuous, tracking AF, and face detection. It has decent responsiveness, able to lock focus adequately for moderately fast subjects, though it can struggle in low-light or with very erratic movement.

• The Panasonic ZS20 compensates with 23 AF points and touch-to-focus on the LCD, which results in swift and flexible AF point selection. Continuous AF and tracking function well, aided by the touchscreen.

My timed burst tests revealed the Fuji edges out slightly in frame rate (11 vs. 10 fps), and its physical focusing ring allows quick manual override, which I appreciated for macro and nature shots requiring precision.

However, the ZS20’s touchscreen focus approach - while initially awkward for manual control - works well for averaging focus on subjects in the frame, particularly street and casual portraits. Neither camera will rival modern mirrorless AF systems, but for their class and age, both are respectable performers.

Zoom Range and Lens Quality

One of the biggest selling points of superzooms is their focal reach in a single lens. The Fuji HS35EXR boasts an astonishing 24-720 mm equivalent (30x zoom) with a maximum aperture from F2.8 to 5.6. The Panasonic ZS20’s zoom is a more modest 24-480 mm (20x zoom) with a narrower lens aperture of F3.3 to 6.4.

The difference here is huge in practical terms: Fuji’s longer telephoto enables distant wildlife, sports, or event shooting that the Panasonic simply can’t reach. Even at mid-range telephoto, Fuji maintains better wider aperture performance for subject isolation and low light.

Both lenses incorporate image stabilization - Fuji’s sensor-shift system and Panasonic’s optical stabilization - critical for combatting camera shake during long zooms or handheld macro shots. Their systems performed well in testing, allowing usable shots at shutter speeds several stops slower than normally possible.

Yet, the Fuji’s longer zoom and brighter maximum aperture at the wide end give it the advantage for specialty disciplines like wildlife or sports, where capturing distant, fast-moving subjects at moderate apertures is crucial.

Photography Discipline Breakdown: Strengths, Weaknesses, and Use Cases

How do these cameras perform across different genres? Here is a summary guided by my field testing and image evaluation.

Portrait Photography

The Fujifilm HS35EXR’s skin tone reproduction strikes me as more natural and pleasant, helped by its EXR sensor. The built-in face detection AF assists focusing on eyes reasonably well, although it’s not as advanced or reliable as more recent systems. Fuji’s wider aperture at the short end allows for smoother and creamier bokeh, enhancing subject separation - a boon for indoor portraits and close-ups.

The Panasonic ZS20’s face detection is basic, and with the smaller aperture and same sensor size, background blur is minimal. However, its touchscreen focus helps quickly put emphasis on faces in casual shooting; its convenience is a plus for travel and street portraits.

Landscape Photography

Here, the slight advantages in resolution and dynamic range put the Fujifilm ahead. It captures richer details in highlights and shadows, which is invaluable for HDR processing or extreme lighting situations. The tilting LCD and EVF assist in composing complex scenes from varied angles.

Neither camera is weather sealed, so caution is needed in harsh environments.

Wildlife and Sports Photography

The Fuji HS35EXR’s 30x zoom, faster continuous shooting rate, and solid autofocus tracking give it a distinct edge for wildlife and sports. While not a pro-level tracker, in good light it delivers more keepers far from you without needing super-length lenses.

The ZS20 can handle casual wildlife or sports images but will struggle to reach distant subjects or keep pace with rapid action.

Street Photography

The Panasonic ZS20 shines as a lean, discreet companion. Its small body, quiet operation, and touchscreen AF make it perfect for candid shots or urban exploration. Fujifilm’s bulk and louder operation can attract attention, although the EVF offers an advantage when precise framing is needed.

Macro Photography

Close focusing distances reveal further nuances. The Fujifilm can focus down to 1 cm (a hair’s breadth!), lending itself well to macro experiments. Coupled with the physical focus ring, achieving fine focus is intuitive.

The Panasonic’s 3 cm minimum focus distance and touchscreen manual focus are workable but require more patience and steadiness.

Night and Astro Photography

With base ISO 100–3200 (expandable to 12800), the HS35EXR offers better high ISO noise control and dynamic range than the ZS20, whose max ISO 6400 is noisier. The Fuji’s ability to push dynamic range and mitigate noise makes it a better choice for astrophotography or long-exposure night shots where image quality at higher sensitivity matters.

Video Capabilities

Both support Full HD video, but Panasonic leads with 1080p at 60 fps (vs. Fuji’s 30 fps max), delivering smoother motion - an important advantage for casual videographers or everyday video use.

Neither comes with microphone or headphone ports, limiting professional video workflow. Panasonic offers AVCHD and MPEG-4 recording, while Fuji sticks to MPEG-4/H.264. Optical vs sensor-shift stabilization also matters for video; Panasonic’s optical stabilizer typically produces steadier handheld footage.

Travel Photography

Compactness, weight, battery life, and versatility determine the travel utility. The Panasonic ZS20’s slim form and 206-gram weight beg to be packed everywhere, backed by GPS tagging - a nifty tool for travel memory keeping.

Fujifilm’s 687-gram heft and bulkier profile require more deliberate packing but compensate with a massive zoom range and longer battery life (600 shots vs. 260 shots). Its zoom range spans more use cases, potentially replacing multiple lenses.

Professional Work

Neither camera is intended to be a professional flagship - but for professionals seeking a secondary compact superzoom or field camera, Fujifilm offers raw support and superior manual controls, benefitting a flexible workflow.

Panasonic lacks raw capture and a serious viewfinder, limiting professional-grade output.

Connectivity, Storage, and Power

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards - standard fare for expandability.

Panasonic includes built-in GPS for geotagging, a feature missing on the HS35EXR. Connectivity otherwise is sparse on both: no Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or NFC are present in either model.

Both feature HDMI ports for external viewing and USB 2.0 for data transfer.

Battery life favors Fujifilm’s NP-W126 pack, rated at 600 shots per charge, with the ZS20’s unspecified battery delivering 260 shots - a factor worth considering for extended field use.

Price-to-Performance: What You Get for Your Dollar

The Fujifilm HS35EXR generally retails around $380, offering a giant zoom and pro-like ergonomics for the price.

The Panasonic ZS20 is slightly cheaper (around $350) and trades some zoom reach and controls for compactness and convenience.

Neither model is recent, so prices may vary in second-hand markets, but these figures reflect typical new-purchase benchmarks.

Performance Scorecard at a Glance

Below is a comparative overview of the overall and genre-specific ratings summarizing the pros and cons derived from practical testing:

The scores encapsulate the technical and user-oriented experience, showing Fuji’s lead in zoom range, image quality, and enthusiast controls, with Panasonic excelling in portability and casual use.

A Gallery of Real-World Images

For the visual skeptics among us, here’s a side-by-side sample of both cameras’ JPEG outputs across various settings: portraits, landscapes, wildlife, macro, and night shots.

Fujifilm HS35EXR front Fujifilm HS35EXR screen back Panasonic ZS20 front Panasonic ZS20 screen back

Subtle but telling differences emerge, with Fuji’s images generally exhibiting higher resolution, sharper edges, and more balanced contrast. Panasonic’s files occasionally display a softer look and slightly earlier noise onset.

Final Thoughts: Which Camera Wins?

So, which one should you choose? Here are my distilled recommendations:

• Choose the Fujifilm HS35EXR if:

  • You need an extensive zoom for wildlife, sports, or distant subjects.
  • You value manual controls and a viewfinder for compositional precision.
  • You shoot portraits or landscapes where image quality, color fidelity, and dynamic range matter.
  • Battery life and raw image capability are important to your workflow.
  • You prioritize versatility over compactness and are okay with a heavier camera.

• Go for the Panasonic ZS20 if:

  • Portability, discreetness, and touchscreen convenience are your top priorities.
  • You are a travel or street photographer wanting to travel light.
  • Video smoothness at 60fps is critical to you.
  • GPS geotagging is a useful travel feature.
  • You want a straightforward, compact superzoom secondary camera with decent zoom range.

The Final Word

Both the Fujifilm HS35EXR and Panasonic ZS20 highlight different philosophies in small sensor superzoom cameras: one prioritizing zoom power and control, the other favoring compactness and ease of use. Your choice boils down to whether you want a full-fledged bridge camera experience or a truly pocket-friendly zoom camper.

In my seasoned opinion, if you want something that’s almost a do-it-all in a single box, the HS35EXR is your camera. But if you want a fuss-free travel buddy that fits in your jacket pocket and still offers solid performance, the ZS20 still deserves consideration.

Whichever you pick, both cameras deliver an impressive range of focal lengths and features for their class - with their quirks and trade-offs, naturally. The magic always lives in how you put them to work.

Happy shooting!