Panasonic FP5 vs Panasonic ZS50

Below is a in-depth analysis of the Panasonic FP5 and Panasonic ZS50, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both of them are designed by Panasonic. The resolution of the FP5 (14MP) and the ZS50 (12MP) is very close and they come with the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

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The FP5 was revealed 5 years before the ZS50 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS50 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a detailed comparison, below is a quick overview of how the FP5 grades against the ZS50 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FP5 Gallery and Panasonic ZS50 Gallery.

For those who are going to lug around your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP5 provides outside measurements of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") and a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS50 has proportions of 111mm x 65mm x 34mm (4.4" x 2.6" x 1.3") and a weight of 243 grams (0.54 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FP5 and Panasonic ZS50 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you select during that time. Below is the front view measurement comparison of the FP5 versus the ZS50.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FP5 and ZS50 is 95 and 90 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very difficult to visualise the difference in sensor measurements just by viewing technical specs. The photograph below should provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FP5 and ZS50.

As you can tell, both of those cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but not the same resolution. You should expect to see the Panasonic FP5 to render more detail because of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop pics much more aggressively. The older FP5 will be behind in sensor innovation.