Panasonic FH8 vs Sony HX80

Its time to look much closer at the Panasonic FH8 and Sony HX80, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH8 (16MP) and the HX80 (18MP) is very close and they feature the same exact sensor size (1/2.3").

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The FH8 was brought out 5 years earlier than the HX80 which is a fairly sizable difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of these cameras offer the identical body type (Compact).

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a brief summation of how the FH8 grades vs the HX80 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX80. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FH8 Gallery & Sony HX80 Gallery.

For those who are intending to travel with your camera often, you will have to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FH8 comes with outside dimensions of 96mm x 57mm x 19mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.7") and a weight of 123 grams (0.27 lbs) whilst the Sony HX80 has dimensions of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") and a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH8 and Sony HX80 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Below is the front view proportions comparison of the FH8 vs the HX80.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH8 and HX80 is 96 and 91 respectively.

More often than not, it can be difficult to visualise the gap in sensor dimensions simply by viewing a spec sheet. The pic underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH8 and HX80.

Clearly, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same MP. You can expect to see the Sony HX80 to provide you with more detail having its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop pics a little more aggressively. The more aged FH8 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.