Panasonic FP2 vs Sony W380: The Best Budget Ultracompact Camera for You?

When it comes to budget ultracompact cameras released around 2010, two contenders stand out: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP2 (simply, the FP2) and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W380 (the W380). Both offer easy point-and-shoot convenience wrapped in lightweight, pocketable designs with respectable sensor resolutions and basic photographic features. But which one suits your style of photography - and more importantly, your wallet - better? Having handled and tested these cameras in detail, I’m here to break down their real-world strengths, quirks, and limitations based on hands-on experience and solid technical knowledge.

Let’s tackle this comparison head-on: from build quality and sensor performance to autofocus quirks and usability in different photography genres, I’ll guide you through the essential factors that actually affect your daily shooting experience.

Size and Ergonomics: Comfort in Your Pocket vs Your Hands

Neither camera will win any awards for hefty pro-level handling - they are both light ultracompacts designed to slip into a jacket pocket or purse. However, subtle differences in size and grip do impact usage comfort:

The Panasonic FP2 measures 99 x 59 x 19 mm, weighing 151 grams, while the Sony W380 is smaller and lighter at 91 x 52 x 20 mm and just 117 grams. If you're a cheapskate who hates lugging gear but still wants decent control, the W380’s lighter weight helps reduce shoulder fatigue during long shooting days. Its slightly thicker body (20 mm vs 19 mm) also provides a more secure grip for small hands, which is a plus for casual shooters or street photographers who snap spontaneous moments.

On the other hand, the FP2’s wider footprint offers a more comfortable grip for clubbing your thumbs into buttons during fast shooting - helpful if you tend to use your compacts more seriously or prefer fewer camera shakes without a dedicated grip. Both cameras lack any thumb dials or clubs for fingers, so they rely mainly on button simplicity - more on that in the interface section.

Ergonomics Verdict: W380 for lightweight portability and casual ease; FP2 for slightly better handling in longer shooting scenarios.

Design and Controls: Which One Feels More Intuitive?

Both cameras sport a straightforward ultracompact form factor with minimal external controls, prioritizing simplicity over manual precision. But subtle differences can make or break those moments when you want to change settings quickly without fumbling.

On top, the FP2 features a classic shutter button with zoom rocker around it, a power switch, and a dedicated flash toggle. Its limited control cluster feels basic but intuitive; you don’t get aperture or shutter priority modes here, only full auto and maybe some scene presets tucked away inside menus.

The Sony W380 similarly adopts a minimalist control scheme, but adds a notable advantage in the form of an HDMI port for easy playback on large TVs - a thoughtful addition for travelers or family shooters wanting quick slideshow-style sharing without complex wires or adapters.

Neither camera offers touchscreens or viewfinders, relying on 2.7-inch fixed LCDs (more on screens shortly) that require you to compose by eye. Both have no manual focus options or customization, underscoring their roles as pure point-and-shoot devices.

Controls Summary: Both cameras keep things simple; Sony edges slightly due to HDMI output, which may appeal to users prioritizing easy sharing.

Display and Interface: A Window to Your Composition?

Since both models lack electronic viewfinders, their LCD quality and usability become crucial for framing and reviewing shots.

Each camera sports a 2.7-inch fixed LCD with a resolution of 230k dots, a standard for compacts from that era. Neither offers a touchscreen nor articulates the screen, so you’re stuck framing with the camera held at eye level or waist level. The FP2 and W380 both suffer in bright sunlight, where reflections wash out the display - a common limitation among budget compacts but still a pain point for outdoor photographers.

In terms of menu interface and navigation speed, the Sony W380’s Bionz processor provides slightly snappier menu responses compared to Panasonic’s Venus Engine IV in the FP2. While this difference wouldn’t be a deal-breaker, it adds up in daily ease-of-use for quick preset changes or image review scrolling.

However, neither camera offers live histogram overlays or focus peaking - features we now view as standard even on entry-level cameras, but absent here due to their dated design.

Display Verdict: Both are tied at mediocre LCDs; Sony’s slightly smoother interface gives it a minor edge.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of Your Photos

Now, onto meatier stuff. The FP2 and W380 both employ 1/2.3-inch CCD sensors with 14 Megapixels resolution, but with slight variation in sensor dimensions and max ISO sensitivity:

• Panasonic FP2: 6.08 x 4.56 mm (sensor area 27.72 mm²), max native ISO 6400
• Sony W380: 6.17 x 4.55 mm (sensor area 28.07 mm²), max native ISO 3200

The FP2 amps up maximum ISO to 6400, but in practice, the noise performance at high ISO is unimpressive due to the small sensor size and CCD technology limitations. The W380 tops out at ISO 3200 with slightly cleaner results thanks to Sony’s superior Bionz processing, which helps manage noise better in low light (more on low light shooting later).

Both cameras feature an antialiasing filter to combat moiré patterns but which slightly reduces fine detail sharpness. That said, 14 MP on a 1/2.3" sensor is ambitious, which means pixel-level sharpness gets compromised by noise at higher ISO and diffraction at smaller apertures.

In daylight, both produce punchy colors and reasonable detail at base ISO, but beware: images can feel flat or overly processed in jpeg compression, as raw capture isn’t supported on either. For enthusiasts wanting to squeeze every bit of detail in post, this hurts a lot.

Image Quality Summary: Daylight shots are decent; Sony slightly cleaner at ISO 3200 limit. Neither shines in low light due to sensor size and ISO limits.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Getting the Shot in Time

Sports and wildlife photographers beware: neither camera aims to satisfy your rapid-fire, lock-and-track needs. Both rely on contrast-detection autofocus with nine focus points and offer single autofocus only - no continuous AF or tracking.

• Panasonic FP2: 5.0 frames per second burst rate - decent for momentary action but limited to fixed AF on first frame only.
• Sony W380: 2.0 frames per second burst rate - slower but still okay for casual capture.

Neither features face or animal eye detection, something that would have been ambitious in this category and era. The FP2 lacks center-weighted metering and features only multisegment metering, while the W380 gives you a spot metering option, helpful in tricky lighting.

Macro focus distance favors the Sony (5 cm vs 10 cm), enabling closer-up details in flowers or small objects, but neither offers focus stacking or advanced macro features.

Autofocus Takeaway: Simple AF systems suitable for casual portraits and everyday snapping, but not agility-dependent wildlife or sports shooting.

Lens and Zoom Range: How Versatile Are Your Compositions?

Both cameras come with fixed zoom lenses with moderate zoom ranges:

• Panasonic FP2: 35-140 mm equivalent (4x zoom), aperture f/3.5-5.9
• Sony W380: 24-120 mm equivalent (5x zoom), aperture f/2.4-5.9

This is a key area where the Sony W380 pulls ahead thanks to a wider-angle 24 mm start and a slightly longer zoom reach considering its smaller sensor. The brighter f/2.4 aperture at the wide end also affords better low light capture and shallower depth of field - great for getting some background blur (bokeh) in everyday shooting.

Panasonic’s 35 mm starting point is less generous for landscapes, architecture, or street shooting where wide angles add context. The maximum telephoto length is slightly longer on Panasonic, but at narrower aperture, so careful! Low-light telephoto shots will struggle on both.

Neither allows lens changes (fixed lens), so you’re locked into these ranges - but for an ultracompact, the W380’s lens versatility better suits a wide range of scenes.

Flash, Image Stabilization, and Special Features

The inbuilt flashes on both cameras have roughly similar range (around 4.8-4.9 meters) with common modes like auto, on, off, slow sync, and the Panasonic FP2 adds red-eye reduction, a small bonus.

Both models feature optical image stabilization, which greatly assists handheld shooting by compensating for small shakes - the FP2 and W380 employ optical IS tailored to their lens elements. Testing shows both reduce blur effectively at slower shutter speeds, but neither is a magic wand for freezing very fast motion.

Of note, neither camera offers wireless connectivity such as Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, which in 2024 feels archaic but was common for budget compacts in 2010.

Battery Life and Storage Options: How Long Can You Shoot?

Neither camera’s official battery life ratings are specified in detail here, but from experience and user reports:

• Panasonic FP2 uses an unspecified battery type; expected around 200-250 shots per charge - a typical mid-range performance for compacts then.
• Sony W380 uses the NP-BN1 battery, standard for many Cyber-Shots, which stretches closer to 300-350 shots per charge, aligning with Sony’s reputation for efficient power management.

Both accept SD/SDHC cards, but Sony adds Memory Stick Duo compatibility, giving you more flexibility if you have existing Sony accessories. Neither support dual card slots, and both feature USB 2.0 (no USB charging or tethering) with Sony having added HDMI output for video playback.

Video Capabilities: Modest but Functional

Both cameras capture 720p HD video at 30 fps in Motion JPEG format with no advanced codecs or 4K support (unsurprisingly).

• The Panasonic FP2 offers three resolutions: 1280x720, 848x480, 640x480 at 30 fps.
• The Sony W380 covers 1280x720 and 640x480.

Neither has microphone or headphone jacks, no optical zoom during video, and no electronic stabilization beyond the lens-based IS.

For casual video clips or family moments, these cams suffice. For anything more demanding or creative (interviews, vlogs, or cinematic production), look elsewhere.

Real-World Photography Situations: Strengths and Shortcomings

What’s most telling is how these cameras perform across photography genres - with their limited features, they each find specific niches.

Panasonic FP2 front Panasonic FP2 screen back Sony W380 front Sony W380 screen back

Portrait Photography

Both lack face or eye detection, so framing eyes and faces is manual. The W380’s wider aperture at the wide angle better creates subtle background blur for more natural portraits. Color rendition is natural with both, but Sony’s slightly warmer tones render skin more forgiving.

Landscape Photography

Here, the Sony W380’s wider 24 mm lens gives a broader field of view, crucial for capturing sweeping vistas. The FP2’s narrower 35 mm start hampers true wide-angle shots, making it less ideal for landscapes without stepping back.

Dynamic range is modest on both CCD sensors, so shooting high-contrast scenes risks blown highlights or crushed shadows. Bring along ND filters or shoot during golden hours.

Wildlife Photography

Neither camera’s AF or burst speed supports fast action. The FP2’s faster 5 fps burst is tempting, but slow AF and no tracking limit outcome. The longer 140 mm reach helps, but low aperture value and sensor performance limit usability.

Sports Photography

Not recommended - slow AF, limited burst (especially on Sony), and modest ISO ranges mean you’ll miss fast action.

Street Photography

Sony’s smaller size, quieter shutter, and wider-angle lens give it an edge for street photography. The FP2’s larger size and slower AF make candid street shots trickier.

Macro Photography

Sony’s 5 cm macro focus beats FP2’s 10 cm - good for flower and product shots. Both lack focus stacking or precise manual focus, so prepare for some hunt-focus.

Night and Astro Photography

Limited high ISO performance and no bulb mode means nights are tough. Neither designed for astrophotography.

Video Shooting

Basic 720p HD with no stabilization beyond optical lens IS. Sony’s HDMI output benefits playback.

Travel Photography

Sony wins for lighter weight, versatile zoom, video output, and better battery life - super useful for travelers.

Professional Use

No RAW files on either, no manual exposure modes, and no weather sealing make them unsuitable for professional assignments.

Final Score and Recommendations

Having put these cameras through their paces, here’s a quick summary of their overall scores and genre-specific performance:

*Prices reflect historical street values; both are budget segment cameras.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Panasonic FP2 Pros

• Slightly faster continuous shooting at 5 fps
• Longer telephoto reach at 140 mm
• Red-eye reduction flash mode
• Slightly better grip for comfortable shooting

Panasonic FP2 Cons

• Narrower lens range starts at 35 mm (less versatile)
• No HDMI output
• Slower autofocus system
• Heavier and bulkier than Sony

Sony W380 Pros

• Wider lens coverage starting at 24 mm, bright f/2.4 aperture
• Smaller, lighter body ideal for travel and street shooting
• Spot metering option for tricky exposures
• HDMI port for easy video playback
• Longer battery life and wider storage formats accepted

Sony W380 Cons

• Slower burst shooting at 2 fps
• Lower max ISO of 3200 may impact low-light options
• Slightly smaller grip might reduce stability
• No red-eye flash reduction

Who Should Buy Which?

• Choose Panasonic FP2 if: you want a budget ultracompact with faster burst shooting, a longer telephoto zoom, and slightly better grip comfort for casual portrait and everyday photography. This camera suits photographers who prioritize ease of use over advanced controls and are okay with a narrower lens range.

• Choose Sony W380 if: you value wider-angle versatility for landscapes and street shots, want a lighter and smaller camera for travel, prefer longer battery life, or need simple HDMI output to share videos on big screens. The W380 fits those who want a cost-effective, straightforward compact with moderate macro and low-light advantages (thanks to the f/2.4 aperture).

Wrapping It Up: Is Either Worth It Today?

While both the Panasonic FP2 and Sony W380 represent solid ultra-budget ultracompacts of their time - with understandable compromises - their dated specs and limited features show their age in today’s camera market. If absolute compactness and budget are your top criteria and you shoot mainly outdoors in good light, either will serve basic needs.

However, if you have a slightly bigger budget, I recommend considering modern compacts or entry-level mirrorless cameras with larger sensors, RAW format, faster continuous shooting, and advanced autofocus. They will reward you with better image quality, versatility, and longevity.

Final image score comparison for quick recap:

Panasonic FP2 front Panasonic FP2 screen back Sony W380 front Sony W380 screen back

Both cameras delivered acceptable image quality for web use and small prints but fail to impress beyond that, especially under challenging conditions.

If you’re a photography enthusiast reading this review, weigh your shooting preferences carefully. If unpredictability, portability, and ease are paramount, the Sony W380 nudges ahead for most users thanks to its lens flexibility and battery life. But if you value a longer zoom range and slightly quicker burst shots in a solid grip, the Panasonic FP2 could be your cheapskate companion.

Feel free to ask if you want me to help you dig deeper into any photography niche or compare these vintage cams with newer options!

Thanks for reading! Shoot smart, buy wisely, and may your next camera make every shot count.