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Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V

Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
20
Overall
29
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V front
Portability
89
Imaging
44
Features
57
Overall
49

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Key Specs

Panasonic FP8
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.7" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 80 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1280 x 720 video
  • 28-128mm (F3.3-5.9) lens
  • 151g - 96 x 60 x 20mm
  • Announced July 2009
Sony HX50V
(Full Review)
  • 20MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 3200 (Increase to 12800)
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-720mm (F3.5 - 6.3) lens
  • 272g - 108 x 64 x 38mm
  • Revealed April 2013
  • Superseded the Sony HX30V
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Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Overview

Here, we will be contrasting the Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V, one being a Ultracompact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference between the image resolutions of the FP8 (12MP) and HX50V (20MP) but both cameras have the identical sensor measurements (1/2.3").

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The FP8 was introduced 4 years earlier than the HX50V and that is quite a sizable gap as far as tech is concerned. The two cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FP8 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony HX50V being a Compact camera.

Before we go into a complete comparison, here is a concise summary of how the FP8 matches up vs the HX50V with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic FP8 over the Sony HX50V

 FP8 HX50V 

Reasons to pick Sony HX50V over the Panasonic FP8

 HX50V FP8 
RevealedApril 2013July 2009Fresher by 45 months
Manually focus More precise focus
Screen size3"2.7"Bigger screen (+0.3")
Screen resolution921k230kClearer screen (+691k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic FP8 and Sony HX50V

 FP8 HX50V 
Screen typeFixed Fixed Fixed screen
Selfie screen Neither has selfie screen
Touch friendly screen No Touch friendly screen

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Physical Comparison

If you are going to carry your camera, you have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FP8 has physical dimensions of 96mm x 60mm x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") with a weight of 151 grams (0.33 lbs) whilst the Sony HX50V has proportions of 108mm x 64mm x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5") having a weight of 272 grams (0.60 lbs).

See the Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have chosen at the time. Below is a front view scale comparison of the FP8 versus the HX50V.

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V size comparison

Looking at size and weight, the portability rating of the FP8 and HX50V is 95 and 89 respectively.

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V top view buttons comparison

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Sensor Comparison

Usually, its hard to visualize the contrast between sensor sizing merely by reading specs. The graphic here will provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FP8 and HX50V.

All in all, both of these cameras feature the identical sensor size albeit different megapixels. You should expect the Sony HX50V to deliver extra detail using its extra 8MP. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The older FP8 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V sensor size comparison

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Screen and Viewfinder comparison
Photography Glossary

Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Portrait photography information
Sony HX50V Portrait photography information
21
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not available
can't use external flash
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
50
focusing manually
decent megapixels (20MP)
includes face detection focus
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW support
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Street Comparison

Street photography with Panasonic FP8
Street photography with Sony HX50V
55
has image stabilization (Optical)
screen is fixed
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
more heavy than average (151g)
61
image stabilization (Optical)
lighter than competition (272 grams)
no articulating screen
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW support
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Sports photography advice
Sony HX50V Sports photography advice
24
has image stabilization (Optical)
maximum shutter speed is a little low (1/1,300s)
very slow continuous shooting (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority mode
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
57
long zoom range (24-720mm 30.0 x zoom)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (20MP)
includes tracking autofocus
better than average battery power (400 CIPA)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have phase detect auto focus
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Travel photography info
Sony HX50V Travel photography info
56
has built in flash
relatively wide (28mm)
missing Timelapse recording
more heavy than average (151g)
MP count low (12 megapixels)
display is not selfie friendly
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
71
better than average battery power (400 CIPA)
lighter than competition (272 grams)
decent megapixels (20MP)
has built in flash
pretty wide (24mm)
great reach (720mm)
does not have Time Lapse function
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5 )
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic FP8
Landscape photography with Sony HX50V
32
relatively wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
small screen (2.7")
manual mode not available
MP count low (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW format
missing Timelapse recording
53
focusing manually
pretty wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (3 inches)
image stabilization (Optical)
decent megapixels (20MP)
better than average battery power (400 per charge)
can't change lenses (fixed lens mount)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5 )
sensor is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW support
does not have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic FP8 Vlogging advice
Sony HX50V Vlogging advice
28
relatively wide (28mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
slow maximum aperture (f3.3)
display is not selfie friendly
video quality not great (1280 x 720 resolution)
missing microphone socket
more heavy than average (151g)
34
pretty wide (24mm)
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detection focus
great video quality (1920 x 1080 pixels)
lighter than competition (272g)
somewhat slow max aperture (f3.5 )
doesn't offer selfie friendly screen
does not have external mic socket
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Panasonic FP8 vs Sony HX50V Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic FP8 and Sony HX50V
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V
General Information
Make Panasonic Sony
Model type Panasonic Lumix DMC-FP8 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX50V
Class Ultracompact Small Sensor Superzoom
Announced 2009-07-27 2013-04-24
Physical type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor Information
Chip Venus Engine V -
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 6.08 x 4.56mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor surface area 27.7mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 12 megapixels 20 megapixels
Anti alias filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 4000 x 3000 5184 x 2920
Max native ISO 6400 3200
Max boosted ISO - 12800
Lowest native ISO 80 100
RAW images
Autofocusing
Manual focusing
Touch focus
Autofocus continuous
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Autofocus selectice
Autofocus center weighted
Multi area autofocus
Live view autofocus
Face detection autofocus
Contract detection autofocus
Phase detection autofocus
Total focus points 11 -
Cross type focus points - -
Lens
Lens support fixed lens fixed lens
Lens zoom range 28-128mm (4.6x) 24-720mm (30.0x)
Maximum aperture f/3.3-5.9 f/3.5 - 6.3
Macro focusing range 5cm 5cm
Crop factor 5.9 5.8
Screen
Type of screen Fixed Type Fixed Type
Screen size 2.7" 3"
Screen resolution 230 thousand dots 921 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen technology - XtraFine LCD display
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None Electronic (optional)
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Highest shutter speed 1/1300 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shooting rate 2.0 frames per sec 10.0 frames per sec
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash distance 5.50 m 5.60 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Slow Sync, Rear Sync, Advanced Flash
Hot shoe
AE bracketing
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Supported video resolutions 1280 x 720 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (60fps), 1440 x 1080 (30fps), 1280 x 720 (30fps), 640 x 480 (30fps)
Max video resolution 1280x720 1920x1080
Video data format Motion JPEG MPEG-4, AVCHD
Mic port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None Built-In
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None BuiltIn
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proofing
Dust proofing
Shock proofing
Crush proofing
Freeze proofing
Weight 151 gr (0.33 lb) 272 gr (0.60 lb)
Physical dimensions 96 x 60 x 20mm (3.8" x 2.4" x 0.8") 108 x 64 x 38mm (4.3" x 2.5" x 1.5")
DXO scores
DXO All around rating not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth rating not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range rating not tested not tested
DXO Low light rating not tested not tested
Other
Battery life - 400 photos
Battery type - Battery Pack
Battery ID - NP-BX1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse recording
Storage type SD/SDHC card, Internal SD/SDHC/SDXC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo, Memory Stick Pro-HG Duo
Card slots 1 1
Price at launch $300 $439