Panasonic FH20 vs Sony HX300

Below, we are evaluating the Panasonic FH20 and Sony HX300, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a crucial difference between the image resolutions of the FH20 (14MP) and HX300 (20MP) but they come with the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FH20 was revealed 4 years prior to the HX300 which is quite a serious gap as far as tech is concerned. Each of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony HX300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting in to a complete comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the FH20 matches up versus the HX300 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Sony HX300 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry around your camera often, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH20 provides external dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony HX300 has measurements of 130mm x 103mm x 93mm (5.1" x 4.1" x 3.7") accompanied by a weight of 623 grams (1.37 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FH20 and Sony HX300 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you use at that time. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the FH20 compared to the HX300.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the FH20 and HX300 is 93 and 63 respectively.

Generally, it is very difficult to imagine the difference between sensor sizes merely by going over technical specs. The pic underneath will help provide you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the FH20 and HX300.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different megapixels. You should anticipate the Sony HX300 to deliver greater detail because of its extra 6 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also allow you to crop pics much more aggressively. The more aged FH20 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor technology.