Panasonic FS12 vs Panasonic ZS30

In this article, we are contrasting the Panasonic FS12 and Panasonic ZS30, one being a Ultracompact and the other is a Small Sensor Superzoom and they are both designed by Panasonic. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the FS12 (12MP) and ZS30 (18MP) but they possess the same exact sensor measurements (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FS12 was announced 4 years prior to the ZS30 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera technology is concerned. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic ZS30 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight into a in depth comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the FS12 scores versus the ZS30 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS30. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FS12 Gallery and Panasonic ZS30 Gallery.

If you are aiming to carry your camera often, you need to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS12 comes with outer dimensions of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs) while the Panasonic ZS30 has measurements of 105mm x 59mm x 28mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 198 grams (0.44 lbs).

See the Panasonic FS12 and Panasonic ZS30 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have at that moment. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the FS12 and the ZS30.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FS12 and ZS30 is 95 and 92 respectively.

Quite often, it is very tough to envision the difference in sensor sizing purely by checking out specifications. The graphic here will help offer you a better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FS12 and ZS30.

To sum up, each of these cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should anticipate the Panasonic ZS30 to provide more detail with its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos a little more aggressively. The older FS12 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.