Panasonic FZ300 vs Sony RX10 IV: A Bridge Camera Duel Through My Lens

When it comes to bridge cameras, the allure of combining a versatile zoom range with DSLR-style handling is hard to resist. Today, I dive deep into the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ300 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX10 IV - two formidable contenders from different generations and sensor classes - to dissect what sets them apart for enthusiasts and professionals eyeing a no-hassle superzoom camera. Having put both models through varied real-world tests over months, I’ll share insights grounded not just in specs, but nuanced user experience, shooting scenarios, and workflow impact.

Let’s start with a side-by-side overview that sets the context for this technical and practical comparison.

Size, Handling & Ergonomics: Bulk vs Balanced Portability

Holding a camera is the first tactile conversation you have with it - sometimes a dealbreaker before you even click the shutter.

The Panasonic FZ300 embodies the compact yet rugged ethos, featuring a 1/2.3” sensor in a surprisingly tough, weather-sealed ceramic body weighing in around 691 grams. Its dimensions (132x92x117mm) suit those needing a serious zoom (25-600mm equivalent) but who still want manageable weight for travel or day-long walks.

In contrast, the Sony RX10 IV spends no quarters on featherweight finesse. This behemoth tips the scales at 1095 grams and measures a chunkier 133x94x145mm, largely due to its larger 1” sensor and robust lens assembly (24-600mm equivalent). The RX10 IV is unmistakably a “hold me like a DSLR” proposition - hefty, but balanced ergonomics and a deep, grippy body make it forgiving for long stints.

Looking at the control layouts and design from the top,

Sony’s RX10 IV offers a more sophisticated control scheme, including dedicated dials, a top LCD display for quick info glance, and well-placed buttons for exposure adjustments - hallmarks of its “prosumer” angle. Panasonic’s FZ300 keeps things a tad simpler but compensates with a fully articulated touchscreen - crucial for low or high-angle shots, vlogging, and live framing. This articulated display is slightly lower resolution (1040k-dot vs Sony’s 1440k), but its responsiveness and touch functionality impressed me across use cases.

If you prize weather resistance, Panasonic takes the crown here, with its sealing defending against dust and rain - Sony opts out of weatherproofing, trading some ruggedness for advanced internals.

Ergo, if grip and pro-style controls float your boat and weight is no issue - RX10 IV. If ruggedness, lighter weight, and a vari-angle screen matter more - FZ300 steps up.

Sensor & Image Quality: Size Does Matter, But Not Always

Let’s talk pixels with some cold, hard sensor facts:

The RX10 IV’s 1” BSI-CMOS sensor (13.2x8.8mm) dwarfs Panasonic’s tiny 1/2.3” CMOS sensor (6.17x4.55mm). This size difference translates to roughly four times more sensor area and 20 megapixels (5472×3648) compared to FZ300’s 12MP (4000×3000).

Why does this matter? A larger sensor generally means better noise control, dynamic range, and shallow depth of field control - paramount for image quality across genres.

In my hands, the RX10 IV delivered markedly better low-light performance, with usable images at ISO 3200–6400 where the FZ300 struggled past ISO 800–1600. Sony’s sensor also yielded richer colors and smoother gradation in shadows/highlights, a testament to the backside-illuminated design and Bionz X processing engine.

Panasonic’s FZ300, while clearly limited by its small sensor, surprises for a compact bridge, offering crisp images, punchy colors, and respectable dynamic range in bright conditions. Its constant F2.8 lens throughout the 24x zoom - rare in this category - helps maintain image brightness but can’t erase sensor physics.

Sony’s RX10 IV manages beautifully fine detail resolution and smooth bokeh, aided not only by sensor size but lens quality that shifts from F2.4 wide-angle to F4 telephoto - a slight aperture tradeoff compensated by image quality gains.

In portrait scenarios, the RX10 IV produces significantly better skin tones, natural gradations, and attractive background blur due to sensor size and advanced Eye AF tracking (which the FZ300 lacks). That said, the FZ300’s bright lens and face detection serve casual portraits well, especially in daylight.

Autofocus & Burst Shooting: Speed Demands Differ

For action shooters, autofocus is king. Let’s see how these cameras perform under pressure.

The RX10 IV boasts a jaw-dropping 315 autofocus points using a hybrid PDAF + contrast system, with phase detection for lightning-fast lock and accurate subject tracking, including animal eye detection - a blessing for wildlife shooters.

Panasonic’s FZ300 offers 49 contrast-detection AF points with face detection but no phase detection or animal eye AF. It’s still competent but lags behind in speed and tracking accuracy during fast-moving subjects, especially in low light.

On burst rates, Sony again flexes muscle with a 24fps continuous shooting mode (albeit with focus locked after the first frame in electronic shutter mode) and 14fps full AF-C tracking speed, which made sports shooting rewarding, capturing decisive moments effortlessly.

In contrast, Panasonic’s FZ300 manages a respectable 12fps continuous burst - solid for a bridge camera - but focus tracking during bursts isn’t as persistent, sometimes losing fast subjects or unpredictable movements.

For wildlife photography, the RX10 IV’s autofocus system and burst firmly win out, delivering crisp, reliably focused sequences of birds in flight or roaming mammals out of reach. The FZ300 works as a budget-friendly option for slower or more predictable subjects.

Lens Performance & Versatility

Both cameras are bridge cameras with fixed, non-removable lenses boasting impressive zoom ranges approximating 25-600mm in full-frame terms.

The Panasonic FZ300 offers a constant aperture of F2.8 throughout the zoom range - impressive for a 24x superzoom - which aids low-light shooting and controlling depth of field. It even allows macro shooting down to 1cm, making it handy for close-ups and detail work.

Sony RX10 IV’s lens spans 24-600mm too but shifts aperture from a wider F2.4 at the wide end to F4.0 at telephoto. While this is a slight downside compared to the constant aperture, the lens optics are of very high quality, with sharpness maintained edge-to-edge, and excellent chromatic aberration control.

For macro, the RX10 IV’s minimum focus distance is around 3cm - still quite capable but not as extreme as Panasonic’s 1cm macro. However, Sony’s lens shows better image quality wide-open, supporting demanding landscape and wildlife applications.

Displays, Viewfinders & Interfaces: The Touch and Feel

Image framing and reviewing are as much about screens as sensors nowadays.

Both models feature 3” screens with touch capability. The Panasonic FZ300’s fully articulating screen allows flips around its hinge, great for tricky angles and vlogging - if you want to shoot selfie-style, it’s waiting for you.

The RX10 IV sports a tilting screen - adequate but not as versatile for self-shooting or extreme angles. However, its higher resolution 1440k-dot LCD delivers clearer playback and menu navigation.

Electronic viewfinders (EVFs) differ notably. Panasonic’s EVF runs at 1440k dots with 100% coverage, offering good clarity but slightly sluggish refresh in low light. Sony’s RX10 IV EVF shines here with a 2359k-dot OLED panel, 0.7x magnification, and 100% coverage - a delight for critical composition, even in bright outdoor conditions.

Both cameras use intuitive menus and physical dials/buttons with touchscreen supplement, but Sony’s RX10 IV feels more refined and customizable, suiting experienced users.

Build Quality & Durability: Ready for the Elements?

If you shoot in adventurous or adverse conditions, build matters.

Panasonic’s FZ300 is fully weather-sealed, dustproof, and splash-resistant - a boon for travel, landscape, or outdoor wildlife photographers who want peace of mind in rain or dusty environments. Although no freezeproof rating, the ruggedness exceeds typical bridge camera standards.

Sony’s RX10 IV lacks official weather sealing, though its robust magnesium alloy body offers durability and professional handling. For controlled environments or occasional outdoor use, it’s reliable - but if you regularly photograph in wet or dusty conditions, Panasonic’s design is reassuring.

Battery, Storage, and Connectivity: Staying Power & Flexibility

Battery life in bridge cameras is often less stellar than DSLRs - but there are differences.

Panasonic’s FZ300 manages approximately 380 shots per charge - a solid figure that comfortably lasts a day’s light shooting. Sony RX10 IV tops it slightly at 400 shots, though heavy 4K video or burst shooting drains batteries faster.

Storage-wise, both use SD-type cards, although Sony supports additional Memory Stick formats - more relevant to users embedded in Sony’s ecosystem. Single card slots on both cameras can be a limitation for pros desiring instant backup.

Wireless features: Both have built-in Wi-Fi for image transfer and remote control; Sony RX10 IV adds Bluetooth and NFC for seamless pairing, an edge for on-the-go sharing.

Video Capabilities: 4K Footage and Beyond

Video shooters, pay attention.

Both cameras offer 4K UHD recording at 30p/24p, supporting advanced codecs - Panasonic offers 4K photo mode (burst capture of frames at 8MP in 4K video speed), great for capturing split-second action.

Sony RX10 IV adds XAVC S recording up to 100 Mbps bitrate, superior for serious videographers craving better compression and quality. It also sports headphone and microphone ports - a big plus for sound monitoring and input - alongside a higher-end image stabilization system.

Panasonic’s FZ300 has optical image stabilization and microphone input but lacks headphone support. For casual videographers or vloggers, both are viable; for professional video, Sony holds a clear advantage, particularly in audio flexibility and video bitrate.

How Do They Shoot Across Photography Genres?

To give you a clearer sense of practical suitability, here’s a snapshot of genre-specific strengths - detailed with performance scores I derived from mixed lab and real-world testing.

Panasonic FZ300 front Panasonic FZ300 screen back Sony RX10 IV front Sony RX10 IV screen back

• Portraiture: Sony RX10 IV stands out with superior skin tone rendering, eye AF, and bokeh control. Panasonic’s FZ300 works well in daylight but can struggle with shallow depth of field.

• Landscape: Both excel, but RX10 IV’s higher resolution and dynamic range produce crisper, detailed images, especially with good lighting available. Weather sealing benefits Panasonic for harsher environments.

• Wildlife: RX10 IV’s fast AF, animal eye detection, and burst rate ensure more keepers in fast action. Panasonic’s slower AF and smaller sensor limit reach and sharpness but suffices for casual needs.

• Sports: Sony dominates with rapid AF, 24fps burst, and tracking. Panasonic is functional but not pro-level.

• Street: FZ300’s lighter weight and articulating screen make it more discreet and flexible for candid shots, though RX10 IV’s silent shutter mode is appealing.

• Macro: FZ300 wins with a better minimum focus distance, allowing more creative close-ups.

• Night/Astro: RX10 IV has a clear edge with high ISO capability and cleaner images; FZ300 shines only in brighter night scenes.

• Video: Sony’s advanced video specs and audio options eclipse FZ300’s respectable but basic video features.

• Travel: Panasonic’s lighter weight, weather sealing, and fully articulated screen offer distinct advantages, though RX10 IV’s superior image quality may justify the heft for serious travelers.

• Professional Work: RX10 IV edges ahead with superior reliability, robust build, file handling, and workflow integration; Panasonic suits budget-conscious pros or enthusiasts.

Price-to-Performance: What Are You Really Paying For?

At their respective launch prices (approximately $598 for Panasonic FZ300, $1698 for Sony RX10 IV), the gap is substantial.

The FZ300 offers impressive value for money, best suited for users wanting a capable superzoom with ruggedness and decent image quality - especially hobbyists or travel shooters who favor versatility over absolute image fidelity.

Sony RX10 IV demands investment but delivers near-professional image quality, speed, and video capabilities in a single package. It’s a sensible choice for advanced enthusiasts or pros needing a fast, flexible all-in-one solution without switching lenses.

Final Thoughts: Who Should Buy Which?

Choosing between these two is really a question of priorities and budgets.

• Buy the Panasonic FZ300 if:

  • You want a tough, weather-sealed camera with a bright constant aperture zoom lens.

  • You’re on a tighter budget but want respectable image quality and 4K video.

  • You value portability, articulated touchscreens for vlogging or creative angles.

  • You shoot mostly in daylight and prefer macro close-ups.

• Buy the Sony RX10 IV if:

  • You demand top-tier image quality from a 1” sensor, especially for portraits, sports, or wildlife.

  • You need fast autofocus, superb burst shooting, and advanced video/audio features.

  • You don’t mind carrying a heavier camera for professional-grade handling and controls.

  • You want future-proof versatility and integration into workflows with high-speed connectivity.

When I first tested these cameras side-by-side, I was impressed by how Panasonic squeezed remarkable performance from its modest sensor and budget-friendly chassis, making it an honest workhorse for enthusiasts.

Yet Sony’s RX10 IV unabashedly flexed technological muscle, embracing the latest autofocus innovations, video specs, and image quality to satisfy discerning photographers who need serious versatility without going full interchangeable lenses.

In the end, both cameras live up to their legacy as bridge cameras - but appeal to different photographer types. Knowing your shooting style, environment, and workflow demands will help you pick the right one. And hey - either way, you get a powerful zoom lens in your pocket. Just maybe double-check if your shoulders can handle the RX10 IV’s bulk before the next wildlife marathon.

Happy shooting!