Panasonic FZ40 vs Sony HX90V

In this article, we are evaluating the Panasonic FZ40 and Sony HX90V, both Small Sensor Superzoom cameras by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a crucial difference among the image resolutions of the FZ40 (14MP) and HX90V (18MP) but they use the same exact sensor sizes (1/2.3").

Photography Glossary

The FZ40 was manufactured 5 years prior to the HX90V and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FZ40 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Sony HX90V being a Compact camera.

Before diving in to a complete comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the FZ40 scores versus the HX90V when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FZ40 Gallery and Sony HX90V Gallery.

If you're looking to lug around your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic FZ40 offers outside measurements of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") accompanied by a weight of 494 grams (1.09 lbs) while the Sony HX90V has specifications of 102mm x 58mm x 36mm (4.0" x 2.3" x 1.4") along with a weight of 245 grams (0.54 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FZ40 and Sony HX90V in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the FZ40 against the HX90V.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the FZ40 and HX90V is 68 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's tough to visualise the gap in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The visual here will give you a better sense of the sensor sizing in the FZ40 and HX90V.

As you can see, both of the cameras offer the same exact sensor sizing but not the same resolution. You should anticipate the Sony HX90V to render greater detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also make it easier to crop pics a little more aggressively. The older FZ40 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.