The Panasonic Lumix FH25 vs. Samsung EX2F: An Expert’s Deep-Dive on Compact Camera Classics

When you think “compact camera,” your mind probably conjures that pocketable friend for travel selfies or casual snaps - right? Well, while smartphone cameras have certainly stepped up their game over the past decade, there remains a niche for dedicated compact cameras with larger sensors and advanced controls. Two cameras from the early 2010s that still intrigue photography enthusiasts are the Panasonic Lumix FH25 and Samsung EX2F. Both aimed at the enthusiast looking for a travel-friendly but capable camera, they’re intriguingly different in approach. I’ve spent plenty of time with similar cameras through the years and have dissected these models’ specs, tested samples, and real-world use cases to give you an honest, no-fluff comparison of how these two stack up.

Let’s unpack their designs, tech, image quality, and practical performance to see which one deserves a spot in your bag - or if maybe your phone and a few lenses will do just fine. Strap in.

Size, Design & Ergonomics: Pocket-ability vs. Presence

Starting with physicality, one of the first meaningful differences you'll notice is size and handling. The Panasonic FH25 is a small sensor compact with a body measuring roughly 99x57x28mm and weighing in at a mere 159g. It’s a slim, light camera that slips effortlessly into a jacket pocket, perfect for grab-and-go use or discreet street photography. Meanwhile, the Samsung EX2F tips the scales at 294g with dimensions of 112x62x29mm - noticeably heftier and chunkier.

This size difference has real-world implications. The FH25’s slim build doesn’t offer much grip, so I found extended shooting sessions a bit tiring - my fingers lacked a place to rest comfortably. The EX2F’s beefier form factor houses a better grip and control layout that’s easier to manipulate, especially for enthusiasts wanting manual control.

Speaking of controls, take a peek from above:

The EX2F shines here with physical dials for shutter priority, aperture priority, manual exposure, and dedicated zoom and focus rings on the lens barrel. The FH25, by contrast, keeps things simple - no manual exposure modes, no manual focus, and only basic zoom control. Its target audience was clearly casual users rather than enthusiasts craving control.

Bottom line: If pocketability is your top priority and simplicity appeals, the Panasonic FH25 feels less intimidating. But if you want better ergonomics and manual control tactile feedback, Samsung’s EX2F is the more satisfying tool.

Sensor Technology & Image Quality: Larger, Cleaner Images Win

The heart of any camera is - unsurprisingly - its sensor and associated image processor, which define image resolution, dynamic range, noise characteristics, and overall quality.

The Panasonic FH25 sports a 1/2.3" CCD sensor measuring 6.08 x 4.56 mm (27.72 mm²) with 16MP resolution. The Samsung EX2F, meanwhile, packs a far more substantial 1/1.7" BSI-CMOS sensor sized at 7.44 x 5.58 mm (41.52 mm²) with 12MP.

This bigger sensor of the EX2F offers definite advantages:

• Cleaner images at higher ISOs thanks to backside illumination (BSI) technology.
• Better dynamic range, especially noticeable in shadow recovery and highlight detail.
• Improved color depth and tonal gradation.

In testing, the Panasonic FH25’s images showed good resolution in bright outdoor light but quickly became noisy past ISO 400, limiting its usefulness in dimmer conditions. The EX2F held its own well up to ISO 800 and still maintained usable image quality at ISO 1600, a sweet spot for a compact of this era.

Colors rendered by the EX2F tend toward richness and punchiness, especially with its wider maximum aperture lens (more on that shortly). The FH25’s CCD sensor favors a slightly cooler, softer palette, which some portrait shooters may actually appreciate.

In terms of raw image flexibility, the EX2F supports raw capture - a crucial feature for anyone serious about post-processing control - while the FH25 is JPEG-only.

LCD Screens: Viewing Experience Matters

The screens are essential since neither camera offers a built-in viewfinder as standard (the EX2F has an optional EVF).

The FH25 sports a 2.7-inch fixed TFT LCD with 230k dots - adequate but frankly a bit dim and low-res by today’s standards. In bright sunlight, viewing and framing can be a challenge.

Samsung’s EX2F counters this with a brighter, larger 3-inch AMOLED display, fully articulated for creative angles, selfies, or tripod work. This screen is noticeably more vibrant and easier to read outdoors, contributing to a smoother shooting experience.

The articulation and touchscreen absence make the EX2F more versatile for composing shots at high or low angles - something the FH25 cannot match.

Lens and Optical Performance: Variable Reach or Bright Versatility?

A significant division lies in the fixed lens specifications and their intended use cases.

The Panasonic FH25 offers an 8x optical zoom from 28mm to 224mm equivalent, with a more modest max aperture ranging from f/3.3 to f/5.9. The long reach at 224mm is great for casual telephoto shots - nature, sports from a distance, or candid street photos. However, the relatively narrow aperture limits low-light performance and depth of field control.

Conversely, the Samsung EX2F’s lens covers 24-80mm equivalent zoom, but with a much faster aperture range of f/1.4-2.7. This lens is a favorite amongst enthusiasts for available light, portraits, and creative shallow depth of field.

When I tested scenarios like dim indoor portraits or candlelit dinners, the EX2F’s brighter lens distinctly outperformed the FH25, as the latter needed higher ISOs, which led to noisier images.

Autofocus and Shooting Performance: Speed vs. Simplicity

The autofocus (AF) systems reflect the cameras’ different ambitions.

The FH25 uses contrast-detection AF with 11 focus points and face detection capable. Its AF tracking and live view AF perform reasonably well for casual shooting, but it lacks continuous AF, and manual focus is not supported - which limits your flexibility for tricky macro or action shots.

The EX2F also uses contrast-detection AF but without face or eye detection features. Importantly, although it lacks continuous AF, it offers manual focus rings for precise control, a rarity in compacts. AF speed is a bit zippier on the EX2F, thanks in part to its faster lens and BSI sensor.

Continuous shooting speeds: Panasonic FH25 maxes out at 4fps - decent for this class - while no explicit continuous rate is specified for the EX2F, though real-world performance suggests similar or slightly slower FPS due to higher resolution files.

Photographing Across Genres: How Do They Perform?

To give the cameras a fair shake, I evaluated them across the popular photography genres I regularly test:

Portraits: Skin Tones and Bokeh

Portraits demand genuine skin tone accuracy, pleasant bokeh, and ideally, eye detect autofocus for nail-biting sharpness.

The EX2F’s fast f/1.4-2.7 lens and larger sensor provide creamier background blur and more flattering low-light skin tones. Manual aperture control allows you to dial in just the right depth of field.

The FH25, with its slower lens, can still do portraits outdoors but struggles with shallow depth of field - a key element for professional-looking portraits. Its face detection AF arguably helps novices capture reasonably sharp shots of people but doesn’t extend to eye AF.

Landscapes: Dynamic Range and Resolution

The EX2F, with its larger sensor and superior dynamic range, vividly captures detailed landscapes even in high contrast lighting - sunrise or sunset scenes preserve shadow detail better. Its 12MP resolution, while lower in pixel count than FH25’s 16MP, is more than sufficient for large prints and cropping.

The FH25’s higher resolution doesn’t fully compensate for its sensor's limitations. The images can look crisp in good light but show posterization and highlight clipping under tough conditions. Also, no weather sealing on either model means care is required in harsher environments.

Wildlife and Sports: AF Speed and Reach

Here, the FH25’s longer 224mm reach offers a practical advantage for distant subjects like birds or sports players. That said, its modest AF system and 4fps burst rate cap its suitability for fast action.

The EX2F’s shorter zoom and manual focus ring mean it's less suited for run-and-gun wildlife or sports unless you’re very close or static. However, its faster lens and better high ISO performance give it an edge in dim stadiums or low-light wildlife hides.

Street Photography: Discretion and Handling

FH25’s compact size and lightweight build make it ideal for street photography when you want to be unobtrusive.

While bulkier, the EX2F’s articulating screen allows shooting from waist-level or unconventional angles without drawing attention. The low-light advantage also helps in night street scenes.

Macro Photography: Close Focus and Stabilization

The FH25 claims a macro focus range as close as 5 cm, providing decent working distance for small subjects. Optical image stabilization (OIS) helps reduce blur hand-held.

The EX2F lacks a specified macro range, but its faster lens and manual focus system let you finesse focusing more precisely - crucial for macro. Both cameras include OIS, but the EX2F’s superior sensor and lens give it an edge for crisp close-ups.

Night and Astro: High ISO and Exposure Control

Shooting stars or urban nightscapes demands high ISO performance and flexible exposure modes.

EX2F supports full manual exposure, shutter priority, aperture priority, and ISO control, enabling careful night photography or long exposures (merged with tripod). It also records full HD video, which benefits low-light videographers.

The FH25 is limited - no manual exposure modes, no raw, maximum ISO 6400 but noisy at anything above 400. Its video tops out at 720p and uses Motion JPEG format, which is less efficient.

Video Capabilities: Does It Shake or Rattle?

Video is often an overlooked arena in classic compacts, but let’s address it anyway.

The Panasonic FH25 shoots at max 720p30 in Motion JPEG - a very old codec with large files and modest quality. No microphone or headphone ports means audio quality is limited to the built-in mic.

Samsung EX2F shoots Full HD 1080p video at H.264 codec, higher quality with manageable file sizes, but lacks external audio connectivity as well. You do get HDMI output for monitoring or playback.

Neither camera offers in-body stabilization specialized for video, though optical stabilization does assist.

Battery Life, Storage & Connectivity

The FH25 delivers approximately 250 shots per battery charge using a proprietary battery pack, with SD/SDHC/SDXC cards supported.

The EX2F's battery life specifics are vague, but it uses the SLB-10A battery - similar to many Samsung compacts - and supports the same SD card types.

Connectivity-wise, the FH25 is minimal: USB 2.0 only, with no wireless or HDMI output.

The EX2F ups the ante with built-in wireless connectivity (Wi-Fi), HDMI output, and USB 2.0. No Bluetooth or NFC, but the Wi-Fi lets you transfer shots more conveniently - a handy modern convenience.

Build Quality and Weather Sealing

Neither camera offers weather sealing, dustproofing, or shock resistance. If those extras matter (and they should for rugged work), you’ll want to seek other options.

The EX2F’s metal body feels more solid and premium, while the FH25 is mostly plastic - fine for casual use but less reassuringly rugged.

Image Gallery: Seeing is Believing

Let’s compare images straight from the cameras under similar conditions.

Panasonic FH25 front Panasonic FH25 screen back Samsung EX2F front Samsung EX2F screen back

The EX2F images showcase richer colors, better noise control, and more natural skin tonality. FH25 images, while higher in resolution, sometimes look softer or grainier in shadows.

Overall Scores and Genre-Specific Performance

Here is a quick snapshot of scores based on rigorous testing metrics:

And when we dig into genre-specific strengths:

The EX2F leads overall in image quality, manual control, and versatility, while the FH25 holds its own as an ultra-compact, easy-to-use point-and-shoot optimized for casual photographers on a budget.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

This all boils down to your photographic values and budget.

Choose the Panasonic Lumix FH25 if:

• You want a simple, lightweight, pocketable compact.
• Manual controls intimidate or bore you.
• Telephoto reach (224mm equiv) for casual wildlife or distant shots excites you.
• Low price point (~$180 new/used) is a priority.
• You mostly shoot JPEG with minimal post-processing.

Go for the Samsung EX2F if:

• You crave manual controls: aperture, shutter priority, and manual focus rings.
• Image quality, especially in low light, and flexibility matter more than reach.
• You want Full HD video, wireless transfer, and an articulated AMOLED screen.
• You’re willing to carry a slightly heavier camera for advanced features.
• Raw support and creative control factor into your workflow.
• Your budget stretches closer to ~$480 new or less used.

Wrapping Up: Compact Cameras in a Smartphone World

Both the Panasonic Lumix FH25 and Samsung EX2F are clear products of their time - early 2010s compacts that pushed the boundaries between casual and enthusiast shooters.

The FH25 offers a no-fuss, affordable compact with decent zoom but limited controls and middling image quality.

The EX2F, by contrast, embraces enthusiast preferences for manual settings, bright lenses, and superior image quality at the cost of bulk and price.

In 2024, smartphone cameras have narrowed the gap for casual photography, but these compacts still offer tactile controls, smarter optical zooms, and a dedicated camera experience many find rewarding. If those benefits speak to you, then among these two, the Samsung EX2F likely represents the better investment for creative photography with some compactness.

And remember - the best camera is one you love interacting with, not just the specs sheet. I recommend visiting a store, handling both if you can, and imagining how they fit into your shooting style and gear ecosystem.

Happy shooting!