Panasonic FH1 vs Panasonic LZ30

Lets look more in depth at the Panasonic FH1 vs Panasonic LZ30, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are designed by Panasonic. There exists a significant gap among the resolutions of the FH1 (12MP) and LZ30 (16MP) but both cameras provide the identical sensor sizing (1/2.3").

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The FH1 was launched 4 years before the LZ30 which is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic LZ30 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the FH1 scores versus the LZ30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ30. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FH1 Gallery and Panasonic LZ30 Gallery.

If you are planning to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH1 provides outer measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Panasonic LZ30 has measurements of 124mm x 84mm x 92mm (4.9" x 3.3" x 3.6") along with a weight of 552 grams (1.22 lbs).

See the Panasonic FH1 vs Panasonic LZ30 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilising at that time. Here is a front view size comparison of the FH1 compared to the LZ30.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH1 and LZ30 is 95 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very hard to picture the gap in sensor sizes merely by checking out technical specs. The picture below might give you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the FH1 and LZ30.

As you have seen, the two cameras feature the identical sensor size but different MP. You should anticipate the Panasonic LZ30 to show more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop images way more aggressively. The more aged FH1 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor tech.