Panasonic FZ47 vs Panasonic TS30

Following is a extended review of the Panasonic FZ47 and Panasonic TS30, one is a Small Sensor Superzoom and the other is a Waterproof and they are both sold by Panasonic. There exists a sizeable gap between the sensor resolutions of the FZ47 (12MP) and TS30 (16MP) but they enjoy the exact same sensor size (1/2.3").

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The FZ47 was brought out 4 years before the TS30 which is quite a large gap as far as technology is concerned. Both of the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FZ47 being a SLR-like (bridge) camera and the Panasonic TS30 being a Compact camera.

Before diving straight into a thorough comparison, below is a short synopsis of how the FZ47 scores vs the TS30 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

The following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-TS30. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic FZ47 Gallery and Panasonic TS30 Gallery.

In case you're looking to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to think about its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FZ47 has physical measurements of 120mm x 80mm x 92mm (4.7" x 3.1" x 3.6") with a weight of 498 grams (1.10 lbs) whilst the Panasonic TS30 has proportions of 104mm x 58mm x 20mm (4.1" x 2.3" x 0.8") with a weight of 142 grams (0.31 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FZ47 and Panasonic TS30 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change based on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the FZ47 versus the TS30.

Taking into account dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FZ47 and TS30 is 68 and 95 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to envision the difference between sensor sizes just by looking at technical specs. The image underneath should provide you a much better sense of the sensor measurements in the FZ47 and TS30.

As you have seen, each of the cameras posses the exact same sensor measurements but not the same megapixels. You should expect to see the Panasonic TS30 to give extra detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will also enable you to crop images somewhat more aggressively. The more aged FZ47 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.