Panasonic FP7 vs Sony HX1

Following is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic FP7 vs Sony HX1, former is a Ultracompact while the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a large gap among the resolutions of the FP7 (16MP) and HX1 (9MP) and the FP7 (1/2.3") and HX1 (1/2.4") offer totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FP7 was announced 21 months after the HX1 which makes them a generation away from one another. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP7 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony HX1 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before getting straight to a in-depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FP7 matches up against the HX1 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP7 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX1. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FP7 Gallery & Sony HX1 Gallery.

If you're going to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FP7 features outer measurements of 101mm x 59mm x 18mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 0.7") accompanied by a weight of 147 grams (0.32 lbs) and the Sony HX1 has sizing of 115mm x 83mm x 92mm (4.5" x 3.3" x 3.6") and a weight of 544 grams (1.20 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FP7 vs Sony HX1 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you have attached at the time. Underneath is a front view dimension comparison of the FP7 against the HX1.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FP7 and HX1 is 95 and 67 respectively.

Typically, it is very difficult to envision the difference in sensor sizes merely by researching technical specs. The picture here will give you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the FP7 and HX1.

As you can tell, both of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FP7 with its bigger sensor will make achieving shallow DOF less difficult and the Panasonic FP7 will render more detail with its extra 7 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop shots more aggressively. The more modern FP7 is going to have an advantage in sensor innovation.