Panasonic FH5 vs Sony RX10 II

Following is a in-depth comparison of the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony RX10 II, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Large Sensor Superzoom by brands Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH5 (16MP) and the RX10 II (20MP) is relatively comparable but the FH5 (1/2.3") and RX10 II (1") boast totally different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FH5 was launched 5 years earlier than the RX10 II which is a fairly large difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH5 being a Compact camera and the Sony RX10 II being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before delving straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the FH5 grades versus the RX10 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 II. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Sony RX10 II Gallery.

For those who are aiming to carry around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH5 enjoys outer dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony RX10 II has sizing of 129mm x 88mm x 102mm (5.1" x 3.5" x 4.0") along with a weight of 813 grams (1.79 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH5 versus Sony RX10 II in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you are utilizing at the time. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the FH5 and the RX10 II.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FH5 and RX10 II is 96 and 58 respectively.

Typically, it's hard to envision the gap in sensor sizes purely by seeing specifications. The picture below will help give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizes in the FH5 and RX10 II.

Plainly, the 2 cameras come with different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FH5 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallow DOF harder and the Sony RX10 II will produce more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also let you crop pictures a good deal more aggressively. The more aged FH5 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor innovation.