Panasonic FH20 vs Sony HX200V

Let's take a closer look at the Panasonic FH20 and Sony HX200V, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FH20 (14MP) and HX200V (18MP) but both cameras boast the identical sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FH20 was released 3 years prior to the HX200V which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Each of these cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX200V being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving into a thorough comparison, here is a concise summary of how the FH20 matches up against the HX200V when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX200V. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Sony HX200V Gallery.

If you're going to travel with your camera often, you have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic FH20 enjoys external dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") and a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony HX200V has specifications of 122mm x 87mm x 93mm (4.8" x 3.4" x 3.7") along with a weight of 583 grams (1.29 lbs).

See the Panasonic FH20 and Sony HX200V in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you have at the time. Below is a front view proportions comparison of the FH20 compared to the HX200V.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH20 and HX200V is 93 and 66 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very hard to visualize the gap between sensor dimensions just by reading through technical specs. The picture below might give you a better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH20 and HX200V.

As you can tell, each of these cameras feature the identical sensor size but different megapixels. You should expect to see the Sony HX200V to give greater detail as a result of its extra 4MP. Greater resolution will help you crop pics way more aggressively. The more aged FH20 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.