Panasonic FH1 vs Sony RX10

Lets look much closer at the Panasonic FH1 and Sony RX10, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference among the sensor resolutions of the FH1 (12MP) and RX10 (20MP) and the FH1 (1/2.3") and RX10 (1") provide different sensor size.

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The FH1 was revealed 5 years before the RX10 and that is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera tech is concerned. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FH1 grades against the RX10 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH1 Gallery & Sony RX10 Gallery.

If you are going to carry your camera often, you'll need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FH1 provides physical dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Sony RX10 has specifications of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH1 and Sony RX10 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that moment. The following is a front view over all size comparison of the FH1 compared to the RX10.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the FH1 and RX10 is 95 and 58 respectively.

Often, it is tough to picture the difference in sensor sizing simply by researching specs. The photograph here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH1 and RX10.

All in all, both of those cameras have different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FH1 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF tougher and the Sony RX10 will provide you with greater detail because of its extra 8MP. Higher resolution can also let you crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older FH1 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.