Panasonic FS42 vs Sony QX30

On this page, we will be analyzing the Panasonic FS42 and Sony QX30, one is a Ultracompact and the latter is a Lens-style by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference between the resolutions of the FS42 (10MP) and QX30 (20MP) and the FS42 (1/2.5") and QX30 (1/2.3") boast totally different sensor size.

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The FS42 was unveiled 6 years before the QX30 which is quite a significant gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony QX30 being a Lens-style camera.

Before getting into a comprehensive comparison, here is a simple introduction of how the FS42 matches up versus the QX30 in terms of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-QX30. The full galleries are available at Panasonic FS42 Gallery and Sony QX30 Gallery.

If you're intending to carry around your camera frequently, you'll have to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic FS42 features exterior measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Sony QX30 has specifications of 68mm x 65mm x 58mm (2.7" x 2.6" x 2.3") with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FS42 and Sony QX30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you have chosen during that time. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the FS42 versus the QX30.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the FS42 and QX30 is 95 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it is difficult to visualise the contrast between sensor sizes purely by reading through specifications. The picture underneath might provide you a better sense of the sensor measurements in the FS42 and QX30.

To sum up, both of these cameras provide different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The FS42 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF more challenging and the Sony QX30 will give you more detail having an extra 10MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The more aged FS42 is going to be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.