Nikon S33 vs Panasonic FH5

Below is a extensive assessment of the Nikon S33 versus Panasonic FH5, both Small Sensor Compact cameras by competitors Nikon and Panasonic. The image resolution of the S33 (13MP) and the FH5 (16MP) is fairly comparable but the S33 (1/3.1") and FH5 (1/2.3") use different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The S33 was brought out 4 years later than the FH5 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving in to a detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the S33 grades against the FH5 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Nikon Coolpix S33 & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5. The entire galleries are viewable at Nikon S33 Gallery & Panasonic FH5 Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you have to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Nikon S33 offers exterior measurements of 110mm x 66mm x 27mm (4.3" x 2.6" x 1.1") and a weight of 221 grams (0.49 lbs) while the Panasonic FH5 has dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs).

Compare the Nikon S33 versus Panasonic FH5 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at the time. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the S33 versus the FH5.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the S33 and FH5 is 91 and 96 respectively.

Sometimes, it is tough to picture the gap in sensor measurements just by seeing specs. The visual here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the S33 and FH5.

All in all, the two cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The S33 because of its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF more challenging and the Panasonic FH5 will provide greater detail having its extra 3 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop pics somewhat more aggressively. The more recent S33 should have an advantage in sensor technology.