Panasonic FH25 vs Sony RX100 III: The Compact Camera Clash of the Decade

When it comes to compact cameras, the gulf between budget-friendly point-and-shoots and high-end pocket rockets can sometimes feel like staring across the Grand Canyon. Today, I’m diving deep into a head-to-head comparison of two compacts from very different camps - the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25, an entry-level 2011-era superzoom with modest aspirations, and the much more sophisticated Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III, a 2014 “large sensor” enthusiast’s pocket powerhouse.

If you’re hunting for your next everyday shooter or a serious travel companion, you’ll want to understand just how these two systems deliver on image quality, creative flexibility, and user experience - and what compromises you’re signing up for with each.

I’ve thoroughly tested both cameras across a broad range of shooting scenarios to give you first-hand insight beyond spec sheets. Buckle up, this is going to be an engrossing ride into sensor tech, autofocus wizardry, and ergonomics you can actually feel in your hands.

Size, Feel, and Build: Wrist-Weight vs Pocket-Pro

Compact cameras often promise portability, but not all compacts are created equal in pocket-friendliness or handling comfort.

At first glance, the Panasonic FH25 impresses with its trim, lightweight design - weighing just 159g and measuring a dainty 99 x 57 x 28 mm. It practically disappears in the palm, making it easy to toss in a pocket or purse without fuss. Its fixed, non-tilting 2.7-inch TFT LCD and lack of an electronic viewfinder keep the profile sleek but limits composition flexibility.

In contrast, the Sony RX100 III tips the scales at 290g and is chunkier at 102 x 58 x 41 mm. It’s still compact, but not nearly the featherweight the FH25 is. That's the price to pay for the RX100 III’s larger sensor and more elaborate lens design. However, it includes a brilliant, 3-inch tilting LCD and a convenient pop-up electronic viewfinder - features that add ergonomic versatility absent from the Panasonic.

Ergonomically, I found the RX100 III feels sturdier and more substantial in hand. The FH25's smaller, plastic body can feel a bit fragile or plasticky during extended shooting, especially with larger hands.

See the physical size difference clearly:

Also notable is the control layout visible in the top view. The RX100 III sports more dedicated buttons and an intuitive mode dial, making manual adjustments quicker and more satisfying - a boon for experienced shooters who want to take command.

Compare for yourself:

Bottom line on build and ergonomics:

If pocketability and light travel weight rule your priorities, the Panasonic wins hands down. For those who value handling finesse, tactile controls, and flexible framing aids, the RX100 III is in a different league.

Sensor and Image Quality: Small Sensor Basic vs Large Sensor Excellence

The heart of any camera’s performance is the sensor, and this is where the Panasonic FH25 and Sony RX100 III take decidedly different routes.

The Panasonic FH25 features a 1/2.3" CCD sensor with 16 megapixels, typical of simpler compacts of the early 2010s. The sensor area clocks in at around 27.72 mm², a modest surface that limits light-gathering capability - especially noticeable in low light. It comes with an anti-aliasing filter, which softens images slightly but helps reduce moiré.

The Sony RX100 III, on the other hand, boasts a 1" BSI-CMOS sensor with 20 megapixels and a much larger sensor area of 116.16 mm² - over four times the size of the Panasonic’s sensor. The back-illuminated design maximizes light collection for improved noise control and dynamic range, critical for real-world versatility.

Here’s a visual comparison of sensor dimensions and type:

The impact? From landscapes flooded with fine detail and dynamic range, to portraits with rich color depth and skin tone rendition, the RX100 III produces clearly superior image quality. The Panasonic handles well-lit scenes reasonably but struggles with noise and limited dynamic range beyond ISO 400-800. The RX100 III comfortably pushes to ISO 3200 and beyond with much better detail retention.

If image quality is your top priority, especially shooting in variable lighting or demanding environments, the RX100 III’s sensor is the clear winner.

LCD Screens and Interface: Viewing Experience Matters

You can’t compose and review shots effectively if your screen is dim or low-res. The Panasonic FH25’s 2.7-inch fixed TFT LCD with a basic 230k-dot resolution feels - how should I put it nicely? - decidedly underwhelming by modern standards. Color accuracy is average, and the lack of touch or articulation means shooting from tricky angles is cumbersome.

The Sony RX100 III offers a bright, 3-inch tilting LCD featuring roughly 1229k-dot resolution, delivering vibrant, sharp images on screen for confident framing, even under sunlight. Though it lacks touch functionality, the tilt mechanism provides flexibility for low or high-angle shots, which is invaluable for street or macro photography.

Here’s a peek at their rear screen setups:

For anyone who reviews images on the go or shoots from creative angles, the RX100 III’s screen is a game-changer.

Shooting Disciplines: How Do They Perform in Real Life?

Let’s get into the nitty-gritty - how each camera handles popular photography genres based on my hands-on tests.

Portrait Photography: Skin Tones, Bokeh, and Focus

Both cameras offer fixed lenses that attempt zoom versatility, but their optical quality and aperture ranges differ significantly.

The Panasonic FH25’s lens operates at f/3.3-5.9, limiting background blur and shallow depth of field effects. Portraits tend to look flat when shot wide open, though face and eye detection autofocus helps keep subjects sharp in good light despite lacking manual focus.

The Sony RX100 III’s lens, with a brighter f/1.8-2.8 aperture, lets you achieve a much creamier bokeh effect and better subject isolation. Its 25-point autofocus system includes face detection and selective AF modes, enabling precise eye focusing. Skin tones appear natural, with higher color fidelity and subtle rendering.

Landscape Photography: Detail and Dynamic Range

Landscape is where the RX100 III shines thanks to its resolution, sensor size, and better dynamic range (~12.3 EV vs Panasonic’s untested range). The FH25’s small sensor and limited ISO range place limits on recovering shadow or highlight detail. Also, its modest lens sharpness leaves much to desire at the extremes.

Weather sealing? Neither is sealed; both require gentle handling in the wild.

Wildlife and Sports Photography: Autofocus and Speed

Here, things get interesting. The RX100 III supports continuous AF, 10 fps burst rate, and a more sophisticated 25-point AF system - invaluable when tracking fast, erratic wildlife or athletes. Panasonic’s FH25, with only 4 fps burst and less advanced AF, struggles to keep up, especially under tricky focusing scenarios.

Street and Travel Photography: Discreteness, Low Light and Portability

The FH25’s compactness and lightweight design favor discrete snapshots during urban strolls or light travel days. However, its dimmer LCD, weaker low-light performance, and slower autofocus might cause frustration in fast-paced environments.

The RX100 III, while heavier, packs enough power and agility to serve as a versatile street and travel companion, balancing portability with creative control.

Macro Photography: Focus and Magnification

Both offer a close focusing distance of 5cm. The RX100 III’s brighter lens and articulating screen offer advantages when composing macros, though neither is a dedicated macro camera.

Night and Astro Photography: ISO and Exposure

With its larger sensor and better ISO performance (native up to 12800), the RX100 III delivers cleaner night shots and excels in astro photography when paired with a tripod. The FH25’s CCD sensor and higher noise start to show even at ISO 640.

Video Capabilities: Resolution and Usability

The FH25 records 720p at 24fps in Motion JPEG format - serviceable for basic video but with limited flexibility and file sizes that balloon unnecessarily.

The RX100 III records Full HD 1080p at up to 60fps in efficient AVCHD, MPEG-4, and the advanced XAVC S format. It also supports slow motion at 120fps (720p). Internal optical stabilization aids smooth footage. However, neither have microphone inputs, limiting audio quality upgrades.

Professional Work: File Types and Workflow

The biggest advantage of the RX100 III is raw image capture support, crucial for professional-grade post-processing. The FH25 lacks raw, limiting creative latitude.

Autofocus Systems in Detail: The Difference Between Snapping and Nailing the Shot

Autofocus can make or break a shoot - especially for action, wildlife, or low-light photography.

The Panasonic FH25 uses contrast-detection autofocus with 11 evaluative focus points and face detection. While adequate for casual shooting, it is noticeably slower and less reliable under complex lighting or moving subjects. It supports AF tracking, but performance is unremarkable.

Sony’s RX100 III uses a similar contrast-detection principle with a denser 25-point AF array and includes advanced tracking and face/eye detection. AF speed and accuracy are markedly better, making a difference when shooting kids, pets, or any moving subject.

Battery Life and Storage: Longevity on the Go

Panasonic quotes around 250 shots per charge for the FH25, while Sony rates the RX100 III at approximately 320 shots. This aligns well with my real-life experience; the RX100 III comfortably lasts an extended day of casual shooting, while the FH25 demands a spare battery for all but the shortest excursions.

Both cameras use a single card slot with SD/SDHC/SDXC compatibility, but the RX100 III also supports Memory Stick Pro Duo for legacy Sony users. USB 2.0 ports on both provide basic tethered transfer but lack faster interfaces or USB charging.

Connectivity and Extras: Convenience Features

The Panasonic FH25 doesn’t include wireless connectivity or NFC, which feels very dated given its 2011 launch date - fine for casual users satisfied with basic file transfers.

The RX100 III ups the ante with built-in Wi-Fi and NFC, enabling easier sharing, remote control via smartphone apps, and smoother workflow integration.

Price vs Performance: Is the RX100 III Worth the Premium?

At launch, the Panasonic FH25’s price hovered around $180 - extremely budget-friendly, but reflective of its basic feature set and dated tech.

The RX100 III entered the market closer to $750, placing it firmly in the premium compact segment aimed at enthusiasts and professionals needing a pocketable high performer.

To me, the price gap is justified given the RX100 III’s leaps in sensor quality, autofocus, ergonomics, and versatility, especially if you’re serious about image quality and creative control.

Summary of Strengths and Weaknesses

Real-World Photo Comparisons: Who Nabs the Best Shot?

Nothing beats looking at sample images side-by-side. I shot across genres in natural lighting, indoor environments, and low light conditions. I’ll let this gallery do much of the talking - note the RX100 III’s richer tonal range, better detail, and cleaner shadows.

Panasonic FH25 front Panasonic FH25 screen back Sony RX100 III front Sony RX100 III screen back

How They Stack Up: Overall Ratings

Based on rigorous testing across multiple criteria including imaging, handling, speed, and features, the RX100 III scores much higher overall, an expected outcome given its enthusiast positioning.

Breaking it Down by Photography Genre

This genre-specific performance chart highlights clear winners:

• Portraits: RX100 III for bokeh and color accuracy
• Landscapes: RX100 III’s dynamic range reigns
• Wildlife/Sports: RX100 III autofocus and speed dominate
• Street/Travel: Panasonic’s size is tempting, but RX100 III’s versatility wins
• Macro: Pretty even, with a slight RX100 III advantage
• Night/Astro: RX100 III’s ISO and noise control shines
• Video: RX100 III’s better codecs, frame rates, and stabilization take the cake
• Professional Use: RX100 III preferred for raw support and workflow options

Who Should Buy Panasonic FH25?

If your budget is tight, and you want a grab-and-go superzoom for well-lit environments, casual travel, family photos, or basic snapshots with some zoom reach - the FH25 remains a competent entry-level compact. It’s especially suited for non-technical users who prefer simplicity over manual control.

Who Is the Sony RX100 III For?

The RX100 III is a compact camera that punches well above its weight class. Its sensor, lens, and controls appeal to enthusiasts, traveling professionals, or advanced amateurs who crave image quality comparable to larger systems but with ultimate portability.

If you want to shoot portraits with beautiful bokeh, landscapes with intricate detail, fast action sports, or nuanced video - all in a device that slips into a jacket pocket - the RX100 III is a compelling choice.

Final Thoughts: Apples and Oranges, But Clear Winners for Different Users

Tossing the Panasonic FH25 and Sony RX100 III into the same ring might seem unfair given their pricing and release dates - but it’s exactly the sort of pragmatic comparison many consumers face.

While the FH25 offers simplicity, extreme portability, and budget accessibility, the RX100 III blows it away in image quality, speed, versatility, and professional features.

Personally, I found the Panasonic more of a nostalgic throwback - solid enough in good light, but limited as a creative tool. The RX100 III, with its robust build, impressive sensor, and thoughtful controls, earned the right to be called a “pocket powerhouse.”

If you value size above all and only shoot occasionally, the FH25 keeps things light and easy. But if you’re serious about photography and want a compact that won’t hold you back, the RX100 III is worth every penny.

Thanks for reading my tech-backed, experience-driven deep dive! Hopefully this comparison helped you decide which compact companion best fits your photography journey.