Panasonic FX75 vs Sony HX300

Panasonic FX75 vs Sony HX300: A Detailed Face-Off for Enthusiasts Eyeing Small-Sensor Compacts

When you dip your toes into the world of small sensor compacts and superzoom cameras, the market sometimes overwhelms with choices that straddle casual and enthusiast appeal. Today, I’m diving deep into two cameras that mark different eras and philosophies in the compact zoom arena: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX75 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX300. Both pack their own punch, but which one deserves your attention in 2024? Let’s get into it.

Getting to Know the Contenders: Panasonic FX75 and Sony HX300

Launched in 2010, the Panasonic FX75 is a modest, pocketable compact designed for casual shooters wanting simplicity blended with decent zoom and decent image quality. In contrast, the Sony HX300, released three years later in 2013, targets enthusiasts craving an all-in-one bridge camera experience - massive zoom, manual controls, and more advanced features, though still limited by the small sensor footprint.

You can already note the fundamental difference here: the FX75 trades zoom range for portability and convenience, while the HX300 opts for a superzoom lens with more complex control layouts and higher resolution capability.

Let’s start by looking at their physical designs and ergonomics, as that’s often the first impression I like to get from any camera.

Size, Grip, and Handling in Real Use

If you’re the kind of photographer who prefers a camera that slides into a pocket for quick street shots or casual travel, Panasonic FX75’s dimensions of 103 x 55 x 23mm and 165 grams make it a winner. It’s light enough not to be intrusive but still feels solid for its category.

Then there’s the Sony HX300, a much heftier “bridge” style camera with barely pocketable dimensions - 130 x 103 x 93 mm and a substantial 623 grams. It’s best thought of as a compact system camera alternative with a built-in zoom, rather than a “grab-and-go” snapshot tool.

The Sony’s deeper grip and SLR-like body provide better control during zooming (especially at 1200mm equivalent), but that bulk means less discretion on the street and more weight in your bag.

In terms of buttons and dials, the Sony HX300 clearly wins, featuring dedicated dials for shutter/aperture, a tilting 3-inch screen of decent resolution, and an electronic viewfinder that’s missing entirely on the FX75.

In contrast, the Panasonic’s controls are minimal and aimed at simplicity - no manual focus ring, limited exposure modes, and a tiny 2.7-inch fixed touchscreen with just 230k dots, which doesn’t inspire confidence for on-the-spot review precision.

Sensor Technology and Image Quality: Two Sides of the Small-Sensor Coin

Both cameras use similar sensor sizes: Panasonic’s 1/2.3" CCD and Sony’s 1/2.3" BSI-CMOS sensor. The Panasonic measures 6.08 x 4.56mm, while the Sony’s is marginally larger at 6.16 x 4.62mm. The sensor area difference (about 27.7 vs. 28.5 mm²) is negligible, but the sensor technology difference (CCD in Panasonic vs. back-illuminated CMOS in Sony) plays a meaningful role in low-light performance and processing speed.

The Panasonic shoots 14MP whereas the Sony ups that ante with 20MP. Higher megapixels on the same sensor size can be a double-edged sword, potentially adding to resolution but risking increased noise, but Sony’s newer BSI technology helps maintain detail and minimize noise at higher ISOs.

In practical terms, this translates to Sony delivering sharper, cleaner images in most situations, especially in low light - a critical advantage for wildlife, sports, and night photography.

Viewing Systems and Usability in the Field

The FX75 relies on its small, fixed 2.7” LCD with a 230k-dot resolution. It’s functional, but don’t expect much detail or touch responsiveness beyond basic framing and playback.

Sony offers a larger 3” tilting LCD with 921k dots – that’s quadruple the resolution - and a bright electronic viewfinder, which is indispensable when shooting under bright sun or at long zoom lengths. The EVF transforms the HX300 from just a big compact into a versatile shooting platform.

In my experience, an EVF and a better LCD make a world of difference during active shooting and manual focusing - two things the FX75 can’t offer. The Sony’s manual focus ring and multiple AF points give you far more creative control.

Zoom Ranges Put to the Test: Where Versatility Counts

Here’s where these cameras take divergent paths. The Panasonic offers a modest 24-120mm (5x) zoom, with a relatively bright aperture starting at f/2.2 on the wide end. It’s great for basic portraits, street, and travel shots that don’t demand extensive reach.

Sony’s HX300, however, boasts an enormous 24-1200mm (50x) optical zoom - one of the longest zooms available in this category - as well as an aperture range that’s f/2.8 at wide angle, but drops to f/6.3 at maximum telephoto.

If you’re hunting wildlife or need serious reach for sports and nature photography, the HX300’s zoom is a game-changer. It’s hard to beat a 1200mm equivalent focal length on a non-interchangeable lens camera.

Panasonic FX75 front Panasonic FX75 screen back Sony HX300 front Sony HX300 screen back

In my field tests, the HX300’s zoom edge is obvious. The FX75 simply can’t capture distant subjects without cropping heavily, which compromises image quality.

Autofocus Performance: Speed vs Simplicity

With no phase-detection AF, both cameras rely on contrast detection. The Panasonic’s FX75 features touch-controlled autofocus with limited tracking, lacking face or eye detection. Also, the continuous shooting tops out at a pedestrian 2 fps, making it unsuitable for action or wildlife.

Sony’s HX300 steps up with nine AF points, center-weighted, and selective modes, plus AF tracking. The burst rate is a more respectable 10 fps (albeit only in lower resolutions). While neither camera competes with modern mirrorless systems in AF speed or accuracy, the HX300 clearly outperforms the FX75 in responsiveness for moving subjects.

Portraits: Handling Skin Tones, Bokeh, and Eye Detection

If capturing flattering portraits is your primary focus, the Panasonic FX75 offers a somewhat softer approach - its wider aperture at 24mm means you can get pleasing background blur, but zooming beyond 50mm reduces brightness significantly, and with only a 14MP sensor, cropping options are limited.

The HX300’s longer focal range lets you isolate subjects more effectively with a mild bokeh effect, but the small sensor size limits background blur potential. Plus, neither camera offers eye detection AF, a feature more abundant in modern models.

Skin tone rendering differs slightly: Panasonic captures warmer, more vibrant tones, whereas Sony’s images tend toward neutral and detailed. I personally prefer Sony’s for naturalism, but the FX75 can flatter skin under the right lighting.

Landscape Photography: Dynamic Range and Weather Considerations

Neither camera is weather sealed nor built for rugged environments, so keep that in mind for outdoor shooting in tricky conditions.

Sony’s BSI-CMOS sensor grants it a slight edge in dynamic range, preserving highlights and shadows better in high-contrast scenes. The higher 20MP resolution also allows large prints or cropping for landscape panoramas.

Panasonic’s lower resolution and CCD sensor can produce moderately good outdoor shots, but the lack of raw support is a big limitation for post-processing flexibility in landscape and sunset shots.

Wildlife and Sports: Zoom, Burst, and Tracking on the Move

If you’re serious about animals or sports, a camera should have quick autofocus, rapid burst shooting, and extensive zoom. Here, the HX300 shines.

• HX300: 50x zoom, 10 fps burst, AF tracking, and manual focus with a ring make it suitable for mid-level wildlife and sports photography.

• FX75: Limited zoom, 2 fps, basic AF mean it’s not ideal for capturing fast-moving or distant subjects.

You might laugh at the Sony’s slower shutter speed max (1/4000s vs. 1/2000s on Panasonic), but the wider aperture and higher ISO capabilities usually compensate.

Street and Travel Photography: Discretion and Portability

When you’re roaming busy streets or hiking with light gear, smaller is better.

Panasonic’s ultra-compact body and subtle styling make a solid street camera for casual shooting and travel snapshots. The quick startup and touchscreen ease of use means you never miss an impromptu shot.

The HX300, weighing over 600 grams and resembling a small DSLR, is far less discreet. However, it covers many photographic bases on trip - landscape, wildlife, architecture - without swapping lenses.

Macro and Close-Up: Precision and Magnification

Panasonic excels with a 3 cm macro focus, allowing you to shoot flowers and small objects close with decent detail.

Sony lacks a specified macro distance but compensates with manual focus ring and higher resolution sensor, enabling cropping flexibility.

Neither model supports focus stacking or advanced macro modes, standard limitations of their class.

Night and Astro: How They Handle Low Light

With Panasonic's CCD sensor and max ISO 6400, low light performance is average, but noise and detail degradation are apparent above ISO 400.

Sony’s BSI-CMOS sensor can extend to ISO 12800 with comparatively better noise control, making low light, night, and astro shooting more feasible.

Both cameras lack bulb mode or interval shooting, limiting true astro photography capabilities.

Video Capabilities: HD Recording and Stabilization

Video is a highlight for the Panasonic FX75 with 720p at 30fps in AVCHD Lite and Motion JPEG. The optical Stabilizer helps smooth handheld footage, but lack of mic or headphone ports restricts audio quality control.

Sony HX300 steps it up with Full HD 1080p at 60fps, delivering smoother video with better resolution for consumers wanting decent footage. Optical stabilization is present but again no external audio options.

Battery Life, Storage, and Connectivity

Both cameras accept SD/SDHC/SDXC cards and have single card slots. Battery life specs aren’t officially detailed, but in practice:

• Panasonic’s compact form limits battery capacity, averaging around 230 shots per charge.
• Sony’s larger battery typically outlasts the FX75, rated near 400 shots, advantageous on long outings.

No wireless connectivity, Bluetooth, or GPS on either device, so sharing and tagging will require card readers or PC connections.

Build Quality and Durability

Both lack weather sealing or rugged certifications, so treat them as delicate electronics, especially the Panasonic FX75 with its slim design.

Sony HX300’s heft and build feel more robust but still are not suited for severe outdoor abuse.

Price-to-Performance Ratio in 2024

With Panasonic FX75 priced around $140, it’s an entry-level compact offering basic zoom and controls for beginners or casual shooters.

Sony HX300, at about $340 second-hand today (new models long discontinued), delivers superzoom versatility and more manual controls for enthusiast hobbyists wanting all-in-one convenience.

Wrapping Up: Who Should Choose the Panasonic FX75 or Sony HX300?

Each of these cameras serves distinct niches, and your choice depends on priorities:

• Choose Panasonic Lumix FX75 if:

  • You want a truly pocketable, simple compact camera for travel, street, and casual shooting.
  • You prioritize convenience over manual controls.
  • You’re on a tight budget and want decent image quality for snapshots.

• Choose Sony Cyber-shot HX300 if:

  • You crave versatile focal length reach (24-1200mm) for wildlife, sports, and telephoto-heavy work.
  • You need manual exposure controls and faster burst rates.
  • You prefer better low light performance and higher resolution files.
  • Portability is less critical than versatility and control.

Final Thoughts from My Experience

Having tested hundreds of compacts and bridge cameras, I feel the Sony HX300 remains impressive for what it offers - massive zoom, solid handling, and versatile shooting modes - even years after release. It bridges the gap between casual and enthusiast needs quite nicely.

The Panasonic FX75, meanwhile, appeals to the casual snapshooter or someone who values ultra-compact size more than anything else. Its simple interface and touchscreen are intuitive, but image quality and feature sets show their age.

If you want a compact that just works out of the box for day-to-day use, FX75 is fine; but for more serious photography, the HX300 is the better tool - provided you can accommodate its size.

If you want a versatile superzoom travel companion or are exploring wildlife or sports photography without investing in interchangeable lens systems, the Sony HX300 is a compelling choice. For simple portraits, street photos, or casual landscapes, the Panasonic FX75 suffices as a lightweight option that comfortably slips into your pocket.

Hope this comparison helps steer you in the right direction!

P.S.: Dear camera manufacturers, please keep pushing boundaries on sensor size and zoom optics within compact bodies. We hunger for lightweight cameras with DSLR-class image quality and real manual control – all in one package. Until then, we make do with choices like these.