Panasonic FP5 vs Sony H300

The following is a extended review of the Panasonic FP5 versus Sony H300, one is a Ultracompact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a big gap between the image resolutions of the FP5 (14MP) and H300 (20MP) but they feature the exact same sensor dimensions (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FP5 was unveiled 4 years before the H300 which is quite a big gap as far as technology is concerned. The two cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FP5 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony H300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a concise synopsis of how the FP5 scores versus the H300 for portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Below is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP5 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FP5 Gallery and Sony H300 Gallery.

For those who are looking to travel with your camera often, you need to take into account its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FP5 comes with outside dimensions of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 141 grams (0.31 lbs) while the Sony H300 has measurements of 130mm x 95mm x 122mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.8") along with a weight of 590 grams (1.30 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FP5 versus Sony H300 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are working with at that moment. Below is the front view sizing comparison of the FP5 against the H300.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FP5 and H300 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it's difficult to visualise the difference between sensor dimensions just by reading a spec sheet. The image here will offer you a stronger sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP5 and H300.

As you can see, the 2 cameras have got the exact same sensor measurements but not the same MP. You should expect to see the Sony H300 to deliver more detail having an extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged FP5 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor tech.