Panasonic FS42 vs Panasonic LZ20

The following is a in depth analysis of the Panasonic FS42 and Panasonic LZ20, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Small Sensor Superzoom and both are built by Panasonic. There exists a huge gap between the resolutions of the FS42 (10MP) and LZ20 (16MP) and the FS42 (1/2.5") and LZ20 (1/2.3") come with totally different sensor sizes.

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The FS42 was revealed 4 years before the LZ20 which is quite a significant gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Panasonic LZ20 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a brief introduction of how the FS42 matches up vs the LZ20 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ20. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FS42 Gallery and Panasonic LZ20 Gallery.

For anyone who is aiming to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FS42 offers exterior measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) whilst the Panasonic LZ20 has specifications of 120mm x 76mm x 80mm (4.7" x 3.0" x 3.1") along with a weight of 499 grams (1.10 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FS42 and Panasonic LZ20 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you have at that time. The following is the front view dimension comparison of the FS42 compared to the LZ20.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FS42 and LZ20 is 95 and 71 respectively.

Normally, it's difficult to envision the difference between sensor dimensions merely by looking at specifications. The image underneath may give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the FS42 and LZ20.

Plainly, both cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FS42 having a tinier sensor will make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic LZ20 will give you more detail because of its extra 6MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop shots much more aggressively. The more aged FS42 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor innovation.