Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42
69 Imaging
37 Features
29 Overall
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95 Imaging
32 Features
10 Overall
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Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 Key Specs
(Full Review)
- 14MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
- 3" Fixed Screen
- ISO 80 - 6400
- 1920 x 1080 video
- 22-896mm (F3.4-5.7) lens
- 485g - 117 x 78 x 93mm
- Introduced August 2012
- Earlier Model is Olympus SP-820UZ
- Newer Model is Olympus SP-820UZ
(Full Review)
- 10MP - 1/2.5" Sensor
- 2.5" Fixed Screen
- ISO 80 - 1000 (Boost to 6400)
- 640 x 480 video
- 33-132mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
- 132g - 98 x 55 x 22mm
- Revealed April 2009
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On this page, we will be looking at the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42, former being a Small Sensor Superzoom while the latter is a Ultracompact by companies Olympus and Panasonic. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the SP-820UZ (14MP) and FS42 (10MP) and the SP-820UZ (1/2.3") and FS42 (1/2.5") posses totally different sensor sizes.
Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modesThe SP-820UZ was revealed 3 years later than the FS42 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Olympus SP-820UZ being a Compact camera and the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera.
Before we go straight to a thorough comparison, here is a concise view of how the SP-820UZ scores against the FS42 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.
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This is a preview of the gallery images for Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ & Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42. The full galleries are provided at Olympus SP-820UZ Gallery & Panasonic FS42 Gallery.
Reasons to pick Olympus SP-820UZ over the Panasonic FS42
| SP-820UZ | FS42 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revealed | August 2012 | April 2009 | Fresher by 41 months | |
| Screen dimensions | 3" | 2.5" | Bigger screen (+0.5") | |
| Screen resolution | 460k | 230k | Sharper screen (+230k dot) |
Reasons to pick Panasonic FS42 over the Olympus SP-820UZ
| FS42 | SP-820UZ |
|---|
Common features in the Olympus SP-820UZ and Panasonic FS42
| SP-820UZ | FS42 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focus manually | No manual focusing | |||
| Screen type | Fixed | Fixed | Fixed screen | |
| Selfie screen | Lacking selfie screen | |||
| Touch friendly screen | Neither contains Touch friendly screen |
Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 Physical Comparison
When you are planning to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to factor its weight and dimensions. The Olympus SP-820UZ has got exterior measurements of 117mm x 78mm x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") having a weight of 485 grams (1.07 lbs) and the Panasonic FS42 has dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs).
Take a look at the Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.
Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing during that time. The following is a front view physical size comparison of the SP-820UZ and the FS42.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the SP-820UZ and FS42 is 69 and 95 respectively.
Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 Sensor Comparison
Sometimes, it can be difficult to envision the contrast in sensor sizing just by seeing a spec sheet. The visual here might offer you a far better sense of the sensor measurements in the SP-820UZ and FS42.
Clearly, the two cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The SP-820UZ having a bigger sensor will make achieving bokeh simpler and the Olympus SP-820UZ will produce extra detail because of its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a bit more aggressively. The younger SP-820UZ will have an edge in sensor technology.
Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 Screen and ViewFinder
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Olympus SP-820UZ vs Panasonic FS42 Specifications
| Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ | Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 | |
|---|---|---|
| General Information | ||
| Make | Olympus | Panasonic |
| Model type | Olympus Stylus SP-820UZ | Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 |
| Category | Small Sensor Superzoom | Ultracompact |
| Introduced | 2012-08-21 | 2009-04-17 |
| Body design | Compact | Ultracompact |
| Sensor Information | ||
| Sensor type | CMOS | CCD |
| Sensor size | 1/2.3" | 1/2.5" |
| Sensor measurements | 6.17 x 4.55mm | 5.744 x 4.308mm |
| Sensor area | 28.1mm² | 24.7mm² |
| Sensor resolution | 14 megapixels | 10 megapixels |
| Anti alias filter | ||
| Aspect ratio | 4:3 and 16:9 | 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 |
| Maximum resolution | 4288 x 3216 | 3648 x 2736 |
| Maximum native ISO | 6400 | 1000 |
| Maximum boosted ISO | - | 6400 |
| Lowest native ISO | 80 | 80 |
| RAW files | ||
| Autofocusing | ||
| Focus manually | ||
| Touch to focus | ||
| Autofocus continuous | ||
| Autofocus single | ||
| Autofocus tracking | ||
| Autofocus selectice | ||
| Center weighted autofocus | ||
| Multi area autofocus | ||
| Live view autofocus | ||
| Face detection autofocus | ||
| Contract detection autofocus | ||
| Phase detection autofocus | ||
| Cross type focus points | - | - |
| Lens | ||
| Lens mount type | fixed lens | fixed lens |
| Lens zoom range | 22-896mm (40.7x) | 33-132mm (4.0x) |
| Max aperture | f/3.4-5.7 | f/2.8-5.9 |
| Macro focusing range | 1cm | 5cm |
| Crop factor | 5.8 | 6.3 |
| Screen | ||
| Screen type | Fixed Type | Fixed Type |
| Screen size | 3 inches | 2.5 inches |
| Screen resolution | 460k dot | 230k dot |
| Selfie friendly | ||
| Liveview | ||
| Touch display | ||
| Screen tech | TFT Color LCD | - |
| Viewfinder Information | ||
| Viewfinder type | None | None |
| Features | ||
| Slowest shutter speed | 4 seconds | 60 seconds |
| Maximum shutter speed | 1/2000 seconds | 1/2000 seconds |
| Continuous shooting speed | 2.0fps | 2.0fps |
| Shutter priority | ||
| Aperture priority | ||
| Manually set exposure | ||
| Custom white balance | ||
| Image stabilization | ||
| Inbuilt flash | ||
| Flash distance | 15.00 m | 6.30 m |
| Flash modes | Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Fill-in | Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync |
| External flash | ||
| AE bracketing | ||
| WB bracketing | ||
| Exposure | ||
| Multisegment exposure | ||
| Average exposure | ||
| Spot exposure | ||
| Partial exposure | ||
| AF area exposure | ||
| Center weighted exposure | ||
| Video features | ||
| Video resolutions | 1920 x 1080 (30 fps), 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 120 fps), 320 x 180 (30, 240 fps) | 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) |
| Maximum video resolution | 1920x1080 | 640x480 |
| Video data format | MPEG-4, H.264 | Motion JPEG |
| Microphone input | ||
| Headphone input | ||
| Connectivity | ||
| Wireless | None | None |
| Bluetooth | ||
| NFC | ||
| HDMI | ||
| USB | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) | USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) |
| GPS | None | None |
| Physical | ||
| Environment seal | ||
| Water proofing | ||
| Dust proofing | ||
| Shock proofing | ||
| Crush proofing | ||
| Freeze proofing | ||
| Weight | 485g (1.07 lb) | 132g (0.29 lb) |
| Physical dimensions | 117 x 78 x 93mm (4.6" x 3.1" x 3.7") | 98 x 55 x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") |
| DXO scores | ||
| DXO All around rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Color Depth rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Dynamic range rating | not tested | not tested |
| DXO Low light rating | not tested | not tested |
| Other | ||
| Self timer | Yes (2 or 12 sec, pet auto shutter) | Yes (2 or 10 sec) |
| Time lapse recording | ||
| Type of storage | SD/SDHC/SDXC | SD/SDHC card, Internal |
| Storage slots | One | One |
| Pricing at launch | $299 | $580 |