Panasonic FP8 vs Sony H300

Its time to take a closer look at the Panasonic FP8 and Sony H300, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the image resolutions of the FP8 (12MP) and H300 (20MP) but both cameras boast the same sensor size (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FP8 was introduced 5 years before the H300 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FP8 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony H300 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before we go right into a full comparison, here is a quick summation of how the FP8 matches up vs the H300 for portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H300. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FP8 Gallery and Sony H300 Gallery.

If you are intending to carry your camera often, you'll have to take into account its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP8 comes with exterior dimensions of 96mm x 60mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") and a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) whilst the Sony H300 has proportions of 130mm x 95mm x 122mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 4.8") and a weight of 590 grams (1.30 lbs).

Compare the Panasonic FP8 and Sony H300 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you are using at that moment. Following is a front view sizing comparison of the FP8 compared to the H300.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FP8 and H300 is 95 and 63 respectively.

Sometimes, it is very hard to see the gap in sensor sizing just by seeing specifications. The graphic below will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FP8 and H300.

To sum up, each of these cameras provide the same sensor dimensions but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Sony H300 to provide more detail using its extra 8MP. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics more aggressively. The older FP8 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.