Panasonic FH20 vs Panasonic G3

Below is a thorough review of the Panasonic FH20 and Panasonic G3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless and both are manufactured by Panasonic. The image resolution of the FH20 (14MP) and the G3 (16MP) is fairly close but the FH20 (1/2.3") and G3 (Four Thirds) offer totally different sensor dimensions.

Photography Glossary

The FH20 was introduced 18 months before the G3 making them a generation apart from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Panasonic G3 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple highlight of how the FH20 scores vs the G3 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-G3. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Panasonic G3 Gallery.

In case you're looking to lug around your camera, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH20 has outer dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") having a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Panasonic G3 has sizing of 115mm x 84mm x 47mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 1.9") having a weight of 336 grams (0.74 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH20 and Panasonic G3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you select at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FH20 against the G3.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the FH20 and G3 is 93 and 83 respectively.

Oftentimes, it can be hard to visualise the gap in sensor measurements purely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic below will offer you a far better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH20 and G3.

Clearly, each of the cameras have different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH20 with its smaller sensor will make getting bokeh more difficult and the Panasonic G3 will provide you with greater detail using its extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop images a bit more aggressively. The older FH20 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.