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Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5

Portability
95
Imaging
33
Features
10
Overall
23
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 front
 
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5 front
Portability
95
Imaging
35
Features
29
Overall
32

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Key Specs

Panasonic FS42
(Full Review)
  • 10MP - 1/2.5" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1000 (Raise to 6400)
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 33-132mm (F2.8-5.9) lens
  • 132g - 98 x 55 x 22mm
  • Announced April 2009
Sony WX5
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.8" Fixed Display
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 24-120mm (F2.4-5.9) lens
  • 146g - 92 x 52 x 22mm
  • Launched July 2010
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Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Overview

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic FS42 versus Sony WX5, former is a Ultracompact while the other is a Small Sensor Compact by brands Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FS42 (10MP) and the WX5 (12MP) is very close but the FS42 (1/2.5") and WX5 (1/2.3") posses totally different sensor measurements.

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The FS42 was introduced 14 months prior to the WX5 making them a generation away from one another. Both cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FS42 being a Ultracompact camera and the Sony WX5 being a Compact camera.

Before getting straight to a complete comparison, here is a short highlight of how the FS42 scores vs the WX5 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

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Reasons to pick Panasonic FS42 over the Sony WX5

 FS42 WX5 

Reasons to pick Sony WX5 over the Panasonic FS42

 WX5 FS42 
LaunchedJuly 2010April 2009More modern by 14 months
Display dimensions2.8"2.5"Larger display (+0.3")
Display resolution461k230kCrisper display (+231k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic FS42 and Sony WX5

 FS42 WX5 
Focus manually No manual focus
Display typeFixed Fixed Fixed display
Selfie screen Neither features selfie screen
Touch display Neither features Touch display

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Physical Comparison

In case you're intending to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FS42 enjoys outside measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 132 grams (0.29 lbs) while the Sony WX5 has measurements of 92mm x 52mm x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 146 grams (0.32 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FS42 versus Sony WX5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is a front view dimensions comparison of the FS42 versus the WX5.

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 size comparison

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FS42 and WX5 is 95 and 95 respectively.

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Sensor Comparison

Quite often, it's difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizes only by looking through technical specs. The pic below will help offer you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the FS42 and WX5.

As you have seen, both the cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor sizes. The FS42 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony WX5 will render more detail using its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop images more aggressively. The more aged FS42 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 sensor size comparison

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic FS42 Portrait photography details
Sony WX5 Portrait photography details
19
lack of manual focus
no manual control
cannot use external flash
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.5")
no RAW support
21
focusing manually not possible
manual mode not possible
can't use external flash
low resolution (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
Photography Glossary

Street Comparison

Panasonic FS42 Street photography details
Sony WX5 Street photography details
47
no articulating screen
lack of image stabilization
tiny sensor (1/2.5")
no RAW support
low max ISO (1,000)
57
has image stabilization (Optical)
screen is fixed
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic FS42 Sports photography highlights
Sony WX5 Sports photography highlights
16
slow continuous shooting (2.0 fps)
no shutter priority
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.5")
no phase detect autofocus
34
has image stabilization (Optical)
features tracking autofocus
lack of shutter priority mode
low resolution (12 megapixels)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no phase detect AF
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Travel Comparison

Travel photography with Panasonic FS42
Travel photography with Sony WX5
51
built-in flash
does not have Timelapse function
sensor resolution low (10MP)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
wide angle not great (33mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
58
built-in flash
relatively wide (24mm)
does not have Time Lapse function
low resolution (12 megapixels)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
sluggish max aperture (f2.4)
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Landscape Comparison

Panasonic FS42 Landscape photography information
Sony WX5 Landscape photography information
22
lack of manual focus
cannot switch lenses (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not great (33mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
screen is somewhat small (2.5")
no manual control
lack of image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.5")
low max ISO (1,000)
no RAW support
does not have Timelapse function
37
relatively wide (24mm)
pretty good screen size (2.8 inches)
has image stabilization (Optical)
focusing manually not possible
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish max aperture (f2.4)
manual mode not possible
low resolution (12MP)
tiny sensor (1/2.3")
no RAW files
does not have Time Lapse function
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Vlogging Comparison

Vlogging with Panasonic FS42
Vlogging with Sony WX5
22
wide angle not great (33mm)
sluggish max aperture (f2.8)
does not posses selfie friendly screen
lack of image stabilization
video res low (640 x 480 resolution)
does not have microphone support
32
relatively wide (24mm)
has image stabilization (Optical)
high video quality (1920 x 1080 pxls)
sluggish max aperture (f2.4)
doesn't offer selfie friendly display
does not have external mic support
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Panasonic FS42 vs Sony WX5 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic FS42 and Sony WX5
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5
General Information
Company Panasonic Sony
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5
Type Ultracompact Small Sensor Compact
Announced 2009-04-17 2010-07-08
Physical type Ultracompact Compact
Sensor Information
Powered by - Bionz
Sensor type CCD BSI-CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.5" 1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions 5.744 x 4.308mm 6.17 x 4.55mm
Sensor area 24.7mm² 28.1mm²
Sensor resolution 10MP 12MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 4:3 and 16:9
Full resolution 3648 x 2736 4000 x 3000
Max native ISO 1000 3200
Max boosted ISO 6400 -
Min native ISO 80 125
RAW data
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Number of focus points - 9
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens fixed lens
Lens focal range 33-132mm (4.0x) 24-120mm (5.0x)
Largest aperture f/2.8-5.9 f/2.4-5.9
Macro focus range 5cm 5cm
Crop factor 6.3 5.8
Screen
Display type Fixed Type Fixed Type
Display diagonal 2.5 inch 2.8 inch
Resolution of display 230k dots 461k dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch screen
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder None None
Features
Lowest shutter speed 60s 2s
Highest shutter speed 1/2000s 1/1600s
Continuous shooting rate 2.0 frames/s 10.0 frames/s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manually set exposure
Change white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 6.30 m 5.10 m
Flash modes Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-eye, Slow sync
External flash
AEB
White balance bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Video resolutions 848 x 480 (30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps), 320 x 240 (30 fps) 1920 x 1080 (50 fps), 1440 x 1080 (50, 25fps), 1280 x 720 (25 fps), 640 x 480 (25 fps)
Max video resolution 640x480 1920x1080
Video file format Motion JPEG AVCHD
Mic support
Headphone support
Connectivity
Wireless None Eye-Fi Connected
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environment sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 132 grams (0.29 lb) 146 grams (0.32 lb)
Physical dimensions 98 x 55 x 22mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") 92 x 52 x 22mm (3.6" x 2.0" x 0.9")
DXO scores
DXO All around score not tested not tested
DXO Color Depth score not tested not tested
DXO Dynamic range score not tested not tested
DXO Low light score not tested not tested
Other
Battery model - NP-BN1
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse feature
Type of storage SD/SDHC card, Internal SD/ SDHC/ SDXC, Memory Stick Duo/Pro Duo, Internal
Card slots One One
Retail pricing $580 $250