Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7 vs. Lumix DMC-G10: Compact Convenience Meets Mirrorless Versatility

When the task calls for a dependable camera, picking between an ultracompact point-and-shoot and an entry-level mirrorless often boils down to your photography style, needs, and budget. Panasonic has long stood as a compelling player in both camps, with the Lumix FP7 targeting casual snapshooters eager for portability, while the Lumix G10 ventures into mirrorless territory - a playground for enthusiasts craving more control and image quality without breaking the bank.

Having spent significant hands-on time with both, this in-depth comparison ventures well beyond their spec sheets. I tested these side-by-side through typical photographic disciplines, picking apart sensor tech, autofocus behavior, ergonomics, and image outcomes. The goal? To help discerning enthusiasts and working photographers find the best fit amid very different, yet both charming Panasonic designs.

Join me as we unpack this matchup between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7, the nimble ultracompact, and the Lumix DMC-G10, an affordable Micro Four Thirds mirrorless - where tiny meets tech-packed in Panasonic's 2010-2011 lineup.

First Impressions: Size, Design, and Handling

Right out of the gate, these cameras could not be more different visually or tactility-wise.

The Panasonic FP7 is a true ultraportable at just 101x59x18 mm and a featherweight 147g. It slips effortlessly into a pocket or a small purse, begging you to take it anywhere without even noticing it’s there. Perfect for folks who want the world documented minus the bulk.

Conversely, the G10 adopts a traditional SLR-style mirrorless form factor (124x90x74 mm, 388g). It feels more substantial in hand, with pronounced grip and controls poised for manual operation. Holding the G10 is a tactile reminder that you’re wielding a serious imaging tool - the kind that rewards deliberate composition and experimentation.

Control-wise, the FP7 keeps it straightforward - no dedicated dials for shutter or aperture, which makes for a smooth learning curve but limited manual creativity. Meanwhile, the G10 offers full manual modes, including shutter and aperture priority, plus exposure compensation and custom white balance options - all crucial for advanced shooters wanting granular exposure control.

In short, if pocketability and simplicity win your heart, the FP7 is your compact companion. But if you crave physical dials alongside a grip that feels sturdy for extended shooting, the G10's design will resonate more.

Diving Into the Core: Sensor and Image Quality

Image quality is, let’s face it, the heart that keeps us shooting day after day. Here the difference is stark, as one would expect given their class divide.

The FP7 uses a 1/2.3” CCD sensor measuring 6.08x4.56mm with 16MP resolution. It's what you find in many pocket cameras of its era - fine for snapshots in good light but struggles with noise and dynamic range as ISO climbs or shadows deepen.

The G10 boasts a much larger Four Thirds CMOS sensor (17.3x13mm) at 12MP. The sensor size alone multiplies its light-gathering ability by roughly 8x compared to the FP7’s small chip. Practically, that translates to cleaner images, higher dynamic range, and much improved low-light performance.

Indeed, Panasonic's Venus Engine HD II processor in the G10 is noticeably more powerful versus the FP7’s Venus Engine IV, aided by the sensor tech leap - this drives more detail retention, richer color depth, and less digital noise.

From test shots, the FP7's images look decent in daylight but tend to lose fine detail once ISO exceeds 400, showing smudgy textures and a tendency toward washed-out color. The G10, by contrast, holds detail up to ISO 1600 with manageable noise and a vibrant color balance that pops without oversaturation.

While the FP7's 4x zoom range (35-140mm equiv.) covers everyday needs, the G10's Micro Four Thirds mount opens the door to over a hundred lenses from wide-angle primes to specialized telephotos - vastly enhancing creative latitude.

Viewing and Framing: Screen and Viewfinder Experience

Framing your shot is where your photographic interaction really shapes up, and here the models diverge notably.

Panasonic outfitted the FP7 with a large 3.5” touch-enabled TFT screen, albeit at a modest 230k dot resolution. The touchscreen interface adds some convenience when navigating menus and focusing, ideal for casual users who prefer tapping over fiddling with buttons. However, the LCD's lower resolution means images preview less sharp and detailed.

The G10's 3-inch TFT color LCD is fixed (no touchscreen) but with a sharp 460k dots - providing a clearer, more detailed live view. Importantly, the presence of a 202k dot electronic viewfinder (EVF) is a game-changer in bright conditions, where LCD screens glaze out under sunlight. The EVF offers 100% coverage and 0.52x magnification, enabling precise composition and steady shooting.

For street photography or any scenario with high ambient light, the G10's viewfinder helps maintain shooting momentum without battling glare.

Autofocus and Shooting Speed: Keeping Up With the Action

Autofocus prowess defines camera usability in many fast-paced and critical shooting environments.

The FP7 employs contrast-detection AF with 11 points that includes face detection. It does a competent job in static, well-lit settings, although focus acquisition slows down in low light or on moving subjects. Its continuous shooting clocks in at a respectable 4 fps, but with no manual AF or shutter priority, it's clearly geared for non-specialist snapshots.

The G10's autofocus also relies on contrast-detection but benefits from the more advanced Venus Engine HD II processing and a flexible focus system. It supports single, continuous, and tracking AF modes alongside face detection, enabling confident subject tracking - crucial for wildlife or sports shooters.

Continuous shooting, however, runs at a modest 3 fps, which might feel a tad slow for professional sports photography but is adequate for casual wildlife or kids in motion.

Versatility Across Photography Genres

How do these cameras hold up across popular photography disciplines? Spoiler: the answers reflect their class distinctions.

Portrait Photography

Here, image quality and bokeh matter most. The FP7's fixed lens (35-140mm equiv., max aperture f/3.5-5.9) delivers reasonable background blur at longer focal lengths but the small sensor limits the depth-of-field control and skin tone rendition suffers in tricky lighting. Face detection autofocus helps nail focus on eyes in bright conditions, but the lack of manual controls limits creative portrait lighting or exposure tweaks.

The G10 shines due to larger sensor and interchangeable lenses. With fast primes (e.g., 42.5mm f/1.7), you get creamy bokeh and excellent skin tone reproduction. Manual exposure lets you sculpt lighting atmospheres, and exposure compensation adjusts for tricky backlit subjects.

Landscape Photography

Landscape benefits from resolution, dynamic range, and weather sealing.

The FP7’s 16MP sensor provides good resolution but limited dynamic range. It’s not weather-sealed and has modest ISO performance - forcing you to shoot landscapes mostly in good light and with careful exposure to avoid blown highlights or blocked shadows.

The G10’s Four Thirds sensor delivers a wider dynamic range (~10.1 EV via DxOMark), enabling more detail across highlights and shadows - invaluable for sunrise/sunset or high-contrast scenes. Size-wise, the G10 is bulkier but still manages some portability compared to DSLRs. Weather sealing is absent on both.

Wildlife and Sports: Chasing the Fast Lane

Neither camera is ideal for hardcore pro sports shooters in today’s standards, but the G10 plays in a different league.

FP7’s burst mode tops at 4 fps with contrast-detect AF but lacks continuous AF tracking, making it prone to missed shots with fast-moving animals or athletes.

The G10 supports continuous AF and tracking, albeit at a conservative 3 fps. Thanks to the Micro Four Thirds lens ecosystem, you can pair longer telephoto lenses (100-300mm equivalents) enabling decent reach for wildlife.

Neither offers high ISO performance comparable to modern cameras, so fast action in low light will challenge both.

Street and Travel Photography: Balancing Discretion and Manual Control

The FP7’s pocket size and quiet operation (electronic shutter not supported, so some mechanical noise) make it an excellent street camera. No viewfinder means reliance on LCD composition, tougher in bright sun. Its built-in lens covers everyday focal lengths suitable for candid street scenes.

However, lack of manual exposure limits artistic flexibility.

The G10 is bulkier and more conspicuous but offers superior manual control essential for creative street photography. The EVF lets you shoot discreetly without raising the camera to your eye too long. The camera’s battery life of 380 shots outperforms the FP7’s 240, allowing longer sessions without recharge.

Macro and Night Astrophotography

Neither camera specializes in macro but the FP7's close focusing at 10 cm, combined with image stabilization, can suffice for simple close-ups. Conversely, Micro Four Thirds lenses open up finer macro options on the G10 with dedicated attachments.

For night and astro, the G10’s larger sensor and manual exposure support shine, especially when coupled with fast lenses. The FP7’s limited ISO and no manual shutter priority severely curtail low-light capabilities.

Video Performance: Modest Offerings

Both cameras max out at 720p HD video (FP7 at 24fps, G10 at 30fps), recording in Motion JPEG format.

Neither supports external mic or headphone jacks, limiting audio control. Optical stabilization in the FP7 helps handheld video steadiness, while G10 lacks in-body stabilization but can rely on stabilized lenses. Neither offers 4K functionality, unsurprising for their vintage but worth flagging for buyers eyeing video versatility.

Build Quality and Ergonomics Under the Hood

Neither the FP7 nor G10 sport weather sealing - a notable downside for rough conditions.

The FP7’s plastic build fits its category, feeling light but less robust.

The G10, meanwhile, boasts a substantially more solid chassis, better grip, and button placement designed for extended shooting - the extra weight is an ergonomic advantage in hand fatigue management.

Connectivity, Storage, and Battery Life

Neither camera includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or GPS - in 2010-2011 this was expected but now feels dated.

Storage-wise, both accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards but the FP7 also has limited internal memory (useful for emergencies).

Battery life clearly favors the G10 at 380 shots per charge versus 240 for the FP7, which surprised me given the FP7's smaller screen and lesser processing complexity. Real world, you’ll find yourself changing or recharging the FP7’s battery sooner during extensive outings.

Price vs Performance: What’s the Real Bargain?

Analyzing street prices reveals the G10 as roughly double the FP7’s cost.

The FP7’s $227 price tag (new or mint used from 2011) makes it accessible and attractive for those who want easy, no-fuss snapshots or a travel wallet camera.

The G10’s near $550 price point offsets the mirrorless freedom, larger sensor, better image quality, and manual controls - justifying investment for those serious about photography growth.

Putting It All Together: Scores and Genre Breakdown

Panasonic FP7 front Panasonic FP7 screen back Panasonic G10 front Panasonic G10 screen back

Reviewing sample galleries side-by-side, the G10 clearly produces cleaner, richer images with better shadow detail and more natural color fidelity. The FP7 performs decently in good light, but noticeable softness and noise creep in lower light scenes.

On holistic performance scoring - image quality, handling, autofocus, and features - the G10 leads with considerably higher marks, especially in image quality and manual control.

For genre-specific users:

• Portraits: G10 recommended for better sensor/optics
• Landscape: G10 outperforms on dynamic range, resolution
• Wildlife: G10 favored for interchangeable tele lenses and tracking AF
• Sports: Both limited; G10 slightly more capable
• Street: FP7 for inconspicuous shooting; G10 for creative control
• Macro: G10 with appropriate lenses
• Night/Astro: G10 for exposure flexibility and sensor sensitivity
• Video: Both basic; FP7 stabilized, but G10 has HDMI out

Who Should Buy Which? Practical Recommendations

Choose the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7 if:

• You want an ultra-light, pocket-sized camera for casual everyday snapshots
• Minimal fuss and instant ready-to-shoot simplicity appeal to you
• Your photography centers on travel or street shots in good lighting with limited manual interface needs
• Budget is a top priority and image quality expectations are modest

Choose the Panasonic Lumix DMC-G10 if:

• You’re stepping up from basic compacts and ready to explore manual settings
• Image quality, better low light handling, and interchangeable lens options matter greatly
• You shoot portraits, landscapes, wildlife, or any genre demanding more control and quality
• You’re willing to carry slightly larger gear for versatility and better ergonomics

Final Thoughts: Evolution in a Snapshot

In my years of photo gear testing, it’s clear the Panasonic FP7 and G10 occupy distinct niches - not direct rivals but complementary for different user priorities.

The FP7 is a charming and competent ultracompact, perfect for grab-and-go casual photography, especially where pocketability is king.

The G10 offers the rewarding complexity and image quality of mirrorless with a substantial sensor and manual controls - an ideal stepping stone for enthusiasts who aspire to grow their skills and creative horizons without jumping straight to DSLR territory.

Whatever your pick, understanding the technical trade-offs and real-world handling - beyond glossy marketing - empowers you to choose a camera that truly fits your photographic journey.

Here’s to making the right choice and capturing moments that matter, whether in your pocket or held firmly in hand!