Panasonic FS12 vs Sony H55

Lets take a closer look at the Panasonic FS12 and Sony H55, former being a Ultracompact while the latter is a Small Sensor Compact by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FS12 (12MP) and the H55 (14MP) is pretty close and they use the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FS12 was announced 14 months earlier than the H55 which makes the cameras a generation apart from one another. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FS12 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony H55 being a Compact camera.

Before going in to a more detailed comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the FS12 grades vs the H55 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS12 & Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H55. The whole galleries are available at Panasonic FS12 Gallery & Sony H55 Gallery.

If you're intending to lug around your camera often, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FS12 offers outside measurements of 97mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 129 grams (0.28 lbs) whilst the Sony H55 has sizing of 103mm x 58mm x 29mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 1.1") and a weight of 200 grams (0.44 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FS12 and Sony H55 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. Here is the front view physical size comparison of the FS12 versus the H55.

Taking into consideration dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FS12 and H55 is 95 and 92 respectively.

More often than not, it is tough to see the difference in sensor measurements purely by looking through a spec sheet. The graphic below might offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizing in the FS12 and H55.

As you can see, both of those cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing albeit not the same megapixels. You can expect the Sony H55 to render greater detail with its extra 2MP. Higher resolution can also allow you to crop photographs a little more aggressively. The older FS12 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.