Panasonic FH5 vs Sony S980

Below is a complete overview of the Panasonic FH5 and Sony S980, both Small Sensor Compact digital cameras by companies Panasonic and Sony. There is a noticeable difference between the sensor resolutions of the FH5 (16MP) and S980 (12MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FH5 was launched 23 months later than the S980 making the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of the cameras come with the identical body type (Compact).

Before diving straight into a in depth comparison, below is a concise view of how the FH5 scores vs the S980 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH5 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-S980. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH5 Gallery & Sony S980 Gallery.

If you are planning to lug around your camera frequently, you should consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH5 features outside 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 S980 has measurements of 93mm x 56mm x 24mm (3.7" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 167 grams (0.37 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH5 and Sony S980 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will change dependant on the lens you have attached at that time. The following is the front view over all size comparison of the FH5 versus the S980.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the FH5 and S980 is 96 and 94 respectively.

Usually, it can be tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements only by reviewing specifications. The photograph here should provide you a more clear sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH5 and S980.

To sum up, both cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but different MP. You can expect to see the Panasonic FH5 to offer more detail utilizing its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also enable you to crop images much more aggressively. The fresher FH5 should have a benefit when it comes to sensor tech.