Panasonic LX100 II vs Sony H90: A Hands-On Comparison for Photography Enthusiasts

Choosing the right camera can feel like navigating a maze – especially with models as different yet similarly appealing as the Panasonic Lumix DC-LX100 II and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H90. Although both are compact cameras in a general sense, their design objectives diverge widely: the LX100 II is a large-sensor compact focused on image quality and manual creative control, while the Sony H90 is a superzoom budget-friendly compact optimized for convenience and reach. Having spent many hours testing and comparing cameras across numerous genres and scenarios, I wanted to share a thorough, real-world look at how these two stack up against each other - from sensor performance to ergonomics, from autofocus to video capabilities, and beyond.

Let’s dive into the details and find out which camera earns top marks in different photographic disciplines - and who should consider each option.

First Impressions: Size, Build, and Handling

Before we drill down into specs, let’s talk about the feel and form factor. Hand-holding cameras across lengthy shooting sessions is a make-or-break factor. The Panasonic LX100 II is noticeably chunkier and more robust in the hand compared to the Sony H90, reflecting its “large sensor compact” category.

With physical dimensions roughly 115x66x64 mm and weighing about 392g, the LX100 II offers a comfortable grip and a reassuring heft typical of enthusiast compacts, striking a balance between portability and control. Meanwhile, the Sony H90 is smaller and lighter (approximately 105x60x34 mm, 222g), emphasizing compactness and pocketability. This makes the H90 easier to carry during long walks or casual outings but at the expense of some ergonomic refinement.

From the build perspective, neither camera offers weather sealing or ruggedness enhancements. That’s expected - and non-issue - for their respective categories and price points, but definitely worth noting if your shooting environments will be harsh.

Design and Interface: Control Layout and Usability

The user interface and layout matter immensely for photographers who desire quick, tactile feedback and customization. Panasonic has a reputation for blending intuitive dials and buttons with clean menus, and the LX100 II continues this tradition.

At a glance, the LX100 II reveals the classic Lumix style: a prominent mode dial, a manual control ring around the lens barrel, shutter speed and aperture dials - this allows shifting quickly between exposure settings without menu diving. The presence of a touch-enabled, fixed 3.0-inch LCD screen with 1,240k-dot resolution complements this with effective live view composition and menu navigation. Panasonic’s inclusion of a high-resolution OLED electronic viewfinder (2,760k dots, 0.7x magnification) is a rare and welcome feature on a compact, giving photographers a bright, sharp eye-level option - crucial for precision framing and assessment under bright light.

In contrast, the Sony H90 adopts a more straightforward approach with minimal physical controls and a fixed 3.0-inch TFT LCD at just 461k dots. There’s no electronic viewfinder here; you’re working entirely off the rear LCD. The control layout is simpler, lacking dedicated dials for manual settings - evidenced by absence of shutter and aperture priority modes - focusing instead on novice-friendly automatic shooting and basic manual exposure. While this enhances ease of use for casual photographers, it limits creative control.

Image Sensor and Quality: Big Advantage for the LX100 II

Here’s where the cameras diverge dramatically. Sensor technology profoundly impacts image quality, low-light performance, and creative possibilities.

• Panasonic LX100 II: Features a relatively large Four Thirds CMOS sensor measuring 17.3x13 mm (approx. 225 mm² sensor area) at 17 MP resolution. This sensor size and technology enable better dynamic range, higher color depth, superior low-light sensitivity (ISO 200–25,600 native range), and cleaner images across sensitivity stepping.

• Sony H90: Uses a tiny 1/2.3" CCD sensor (6.17x4.55 mm, ~28 mm²) with 16 MP resolution. While the resolution looks competitive, the sensor’s size greatly constrains image quality - poor high ISO performance, limited dynamic range, and increased noise beyond ISO 400-800.

In extensive side-by-side shooting, the Panasonic’s images exhibit noticeably more detail, richer colors, and lower noise, especially under challenging lighting - perfect for photographers who prioritize quality over zoom. The Sony’s sensor limits sharpness and control but still delivers acceptable snaps for casual use or well-lit scenes.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Versatility vs. Simplicity

Autofocus and continuous shooting are crucial, especially for action, wildlife, or street photography.

The Panasonic LX100 II employs a fast contrast-detection AF system with 49 focus points and full face detection capabilities. The camera supports single, continuous, and tracking AF modes, with excellent accuracy and speed in various lighting. AF responsiveness is further improved thanks to the Venus Engine processor. Continuous shooting reaches up to 11 frames per second, which is impressive for a compact and makes the LX100 II surprisingly versatile in fast-paced environments.

The Sony H90 uses a simpler contrast AF with limited points (exact number not specified) and focuses primarily on center-weighted or multi-area modes. It lacks continuous AF during burst shooting, which maxes out at just 1 fps. This modest speed and AF system constrain the camera’s ability to capture decisive moments in sports or wildlife.

When shooting street or travel scenes, the LX100 II proves more nimble and reliable, whereas the H90 lags behind - its autofocus can fail to lock quickly on moving subjects, and the burst speed is insufficient for dynamic scenarios.

Lens Performance and Versatility: Wide vs Zoom

You wouldn’t expect interchangeable lenses from fixed-lens compacts, but the fixed lens still defines the imaging scope.

• Panasonic LX100 II: Fixed Leica DC Vario-Summilux lens with a 24-75mm equivalent focal length and a bright aperture range of f/1.7-2.8. This fast aperture allows exquisite background separation and strong low-light performance. The lens sharpness is excellent across the zoom range with good control over distortion and chromatic aberrations. The 3 cm minimum macro distance complements close-up shoots.

• Sony H90: A massive superzoom lens pinning out at 24-384mm equivalent (16x zoom) with an aperture of f/3.3-5.9. While the zoom range covers everything from wide-angle landscapes to decent telephoto wildlife shots, low-light usability suffers given the slow maximum apertures and smaller sensor. Macro mode focuses as near as 5 cm.

If you require flexibility to photograph distant subjects and don’t mind sacrificing image quality, the H90’s reach is impressive for its class. The LX100 II’s shorter zoom range fits everyday shooting better, but with high-quality optics enabling professional-grade bokeh and sharpness.

Handling in Different Photography Disciplines

Portrait Photography

Portraits demand accurate color reproduction, pleasing skin tones, reliable eye-detection autofocus, and a lens capable of smooth bokeh.

The LX100 II shines here with its large sensor and wide aperture lens. Its face detection AF reliably tracks eyes, making focus-lock a breeze in real shooting. The creamy bokeh from the f/1.7 aperture creates attractive subject isolation - something you just can’t get from smaller-sensor competitors. Skin tones render naturally thanks to Leica lens coatings and the Venus Engine’s color science.

Sony H90 handles portraits passably but with noticeable softness and flatter background blur, particularly in lower light.

Landscape Photography

Landscape shooters prioritize resolution, dynamic range, and weather-resistant builds. Although neither camera is weather-sealed, the Panasonic’s Four Thirds sensor delivers greater dynamic range to retain shadow and highlight detail - crucial for wide tonal range scenes.

The LX100 II’s 17 MP resolution is adequate to crop and print reasonably large. For broad vistas, its 24mm wide-angle coverage is solid. The Sony H90’s immense zoom doesn’t benefit landscape staples much, and image noise begins to creep in with shadows due to the small sensor.

Wildlife Photography

Wildlife typically demands a powerful telephoto reach and fast, reliable autofocus.

Sony H90’s 16x zoom lens stretching to 384mm equivalent gives it an edge in framing distant animals. However, slow autofocus and low burst speed reduce capture chances for fast movement or flight. The Panasonic LX100 II’s zoom is limited to 75mm equivalent, which will fall short for many wildlife scenes unless you crop aggressively.

Sports Photography

Sports require authoritative autofocus tracking, high continuous shooting speeds, and decent ISO performance for indoor or night events.

Neither is a sports powerhouse, but the LX100 II’s 11 fps burst and continuous AF outperform the Sony H90’s single fps and simpler AF severely. Additionally, the LX100 II’s higher native ISO range allows better low light action shots.

Street Photography

The portability and quietness demanded for street photography favor the Sony due to its smaller size. However, the lack of viewfinder can be a downside in bright outdoor urban environments.

Panasonic’s larger body is still reasonably compact with a quiet electronic shutter up to 1/16,000s. The bright Leica lens allows shooting at low ISO and faster shutter speeds helpful for freezing candid moments.

Macro Photography

The Panasonic LX100 II focuses as close as 3 cm with a wider aperture, allowing sharper focus and smoother background separation for macro subjects. It also supports focus bracketing, stacking, and post-focus features - tools usually found only in more advanced cameras - enabling more creative close-up work.

The Sony H90 offers a 5 cm close-focus distance but lacks such focus enhancements or stabilization to prevent shake at close range.

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Panasonic LX100 II front Panasonic LX100 II screen back Sony H90 front Sony H90 screen back

I included a gallery shot above showing side-by-side images in equivalent conditions illustrating differences in sharpness, noise, and color rendition.

Video Capabilities

Videographers will appreciate the Panasonic LX100 II’s ability to capture UHD 4K video at 30 fps encoded in 100 Mbps H.264 format. It also supports 4K Photo modes, making it easy to extract single frames from video, perfect for fast action scenes. Optical image stabilization helps smooth handheld footage, though the fixed lens limits focal length flexibility.

Sony H90 records only HD 720p at 30 fps, with modest quality and no 4K options. It lacks microphone and headphone ports for professional audio input and monitoring. Both cameras lack significant video-centric features, but Panasonic clearly targets hybrid shooters.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Battery life is a practical concern. The Panasonic LX100 II rated at approximately 340 shots per charge edges out the Sony H90’s 290 shots marginally - both average for compacts but less than many modern mirrorless cameras. Both rely on proprietary battery packs, with the LX100 II using the DMW-BLE9.

The LX100 II supports single UHS-I SD card slots; the Sony can handle Memory Stick Pro Duo cards as well, providing more storage flexibility.

In connectivity, the LX100 II has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth enabling remote control and easy photo transfers - a boon for travel and social sharing. The Sony H90 offers no wireless connectivity, limiting integration with smartphones or computers.

Price-to-Performance Ratio: Defining Your Priorities

Currently, the Panasonic LX100 II positions itself as a premium large-sensor compact around $998, while the Sony H90 sits near $230, targeting budget-conscious users.

This wide price gap reflects their intended audiences and capabilities:

• If image quality, manual control, and professional-grade features matter most - and budget allows - the Panasonic LX100 II is a versatile tool that can serve enthusiasts and even pros for casual or travel work.
• For hobbyists or casual shooters valuing zoom reach, portability, and a low entry price, the Sony H90 offers respectable, though limited, all-in-one convenience without a steep learning curve.

How They Measure Up: Scores and Genre Performance

Here is a synthesized overview showcasing scores from our expert testing across key performance areas.

And a detailed genre-by-genre look showing how each camera excels or falls short depending on photographic discipline:

The Panasonic LX100 II clearly leads in most aspects except zoom reach and compactness where the Sony offers an advantage.

Summing Up: Recommendations for Different Users

Having carefully compared these cameras through hours of testing, I can confidently recommend:

• Choose the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II if:

  • You are a photography enthusiast or professional demanding rich image quality and manual creative control in a compact body.
  • You shoot portraits, landscapes, street, or video regularly and want a solid all-around performer.
  • You value 4K video and fast, reliable autofocus systems.
  • You prioritize color fidelity, bokeh quality, and post-processing flexibility with RAW support.

• Choose the Sony Cyber-shot H90 if:

  • You’re a casual photographer or beginner seeking an affordable, easy-to-use camera with an extremely long zoom lens.
  • Your photography is mostly outdoor snapshots, family events, or travel where reach and pocketability trump absolute image fidelity.
  • You don’t require RAW, 4K, or advanced controls.
  • You appreciate simplicity but are willing to accept limitations in low light and action capture.

Final Thoughts: Two Cameras for Very Different Missions

The Panasonic LX100 II and Sony H90 inhabit different corners of the compact camera market - both shaping appealing propositions for distinct users. One serves photography as an expressive craft; the other offers convenience and zoom power without fuss.

In my experience testing thousands of cameras, rarely do two models with similar marketed categories (compact) contrast so sharply technologically and functionally. Yet that divergence is a good thing - it means we as photographers can choose tools that genuinely fit our specific workflows and creative ambitions.

I hope this detailed comparison has answered your questions and helped clarify which camera fits your photographic goals best.

If image quality and manual control are your priority, the Panasonic LX100 II is an excellent, ongoing recommendation. But if you want reach and simplicity on a shoestring budget, the Sony H90 remains a capable contender.

Whichever direction you choose, I recommend hands-on trial if possible, as nothing replaces tactile and visual familiarity when making a camera investment.

Happy shooting!

All specifications referenced are sourced from manufacturer datasheets and extended hands-on testing conducted with standardized evaluation methodologies including chart testing, field shooting in controlled and natural environments, and image analysis workflows.