Panasonic FZ47 vs Pentax Q: A Close Encounter of the 2011 Camera Kind

When you peel back the layers of camera tech from the early 2010s, you’ll find some fascinating contrasts - especially between pocketable superzooms and nimble mirrorless systems. Today, let’s dive headfirst into such a duel: the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47 (or FZ48, as known in some locales) versus the Pentax Q. Both announced in mid-2011, these models catered to very different users but shared a curiosity about blending versatility and compactness. Over my 15+ years of wrangling cameras, these two have stood out - not necessarily as the ultimate photo machines today, but as neat snapshots of technical approaches from that era.

In this comparison, I’ll break down every sliver of performance and usability - with a special eye on how they fare in real photography disciplines. Whether you’re a portrait buff, a landscape lover, or a travel snapper, hopefully, this deep-dive helps unearth which one could still merit a spot in your bag… or not. Shall we?

Small But Different: Size, Design, and Ergonomics

At first glance, both cameras strive for portability, but they take very different routes. The Panasonic FZ47 is a bridge-style "SLR-like" body, chunky and grip-forward, designed to feel more DSLRish without the interchangeable lenses. Meanwhile, the Pentax Q is a tiny mirrorless rangefinder-style, arguably one of the smallest cameras with a lens mount from its generation.

Let’s check the physicality side-by-side to get a feel:

The Panasonic FZ47 weighs in at about 498 grams with dimensions roughly 120x80x92 mm. It’s solid enough to inspire confidence - comfortable for long shooting sessions, with a decent grip and button layout. The electronic viewfinder is electronic, naturally smaller than real DSLRs, but gives you 100% frame coverage, crucial when hunting precise composition.

On the other hand, the Pentax Q is a featherweight at 180 grams and quite tiny at 98x57x31 mm. This ultra-compactness made it wildly portable - even pocket-friendly if you’re sporting loose pants (or a jacket pocket). The trade-off? No EVF at all - just relying on its 3-inch LCD (which we'll cover shortly). Handling can feel cramped for people with larger hands, and those coming from DSLRs might miss physical dials and a robust grip.

For ergonomics and control, the Panasonic’s design is more traditional and intuitive if you’re used to the DSLR form factor. Pentax’s Q leans into minimalism and compactness, which can feel refreshing or limiting, depending on your style.

Top View Showdown: Controls and User Interface

Controls make or break the shooting experience, especially when you’re chasing decisive moments.

Here’s a side-by-side from the top:

The Panasonic FZ47 features a dedicated mode dial with clear manual exposure options (Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Manual), a zoom lever surrounding the shutter, and readily accessible exposure compensation. It also boasts a built-in flash with a respectable 9.5m range and no external flash support. This means most creative lighting tricks you want to pull off will rely on ambient or pop-up flash only.

Pentax Q offers a simpler top deck - no dedicated exposure mode dial, instead toggling modes through the main control wheel and menus. It has a pop-up flash, too, but with a shorter 5.6m reach and supports external flashes through its hot shoe. This is a big plus for enthusiasts wanting more lighting options down the line.

The Pentax’s minimal buttons might frustrate users who prefer physical dials; the FZ47 is more of a tactile playground. However, the Q’s sensor-based image stabilization and manual focus capability are huge pluses, especially given its interchangeable lens system.

Sensor and Image Quality: The Heart of the Matter

We often say “sensor size matters,” but context is king. Both cameras sport small 1/2.3" sensors with roughly the same dimensions - around 6.1x4.5 mm area - meaning native image quality will be constrained similarly. But sensor type and processing tech can swing performance more than raw size.

The Panasonic FZ47 uses a CCD sensor, which was quite standard for superzoom bridge cameras of its time. CCDs tend to offer good color rendition and distinct noise characteristics but lag behind CMOS sensors in noise control and video prowess.

The Pentax Q uses a 12 MP CMOS sensor. CMOS sensors generally outperform CCDs in low-light noise and video flexibility, aided by more modern sensor designs and faster readouts.

Interestingly, DxOMark data (where the Pentax Q scored a 47 overall rating) confirms the CMOS sensor delivers better dynamic range (11.1 stops vs untested but presumably lower on the FZ47) and better color depth (20.2 bits vs unknown). The FZ47’s max native ISO caps at 1600, with boost to 6400 (no RAW support), meaning noise becomes a concern fairly quickly in dim environments.

Pentax’s ability to shoot RAW and its higher max ISO 6400 native enhances post-processing freedom and pushes usability into darker realms.

What does this mean practically?

• Portraits: Slight advantage to Pentax Q for tonal range and noise control.
• Landscape: Pentax’s better dynamic range matters when capturing bright skies and shadow details.
• Low Light: CMOS and ISO flexibility give Pentax the nod.

Rear View and Display Technology

For composing and reviewing images, the rear LCD experience is critical.

Both cameras sport 3-inch fixed LCDs with 460k pixel resolution. Panasonic’s LCD technology is not explicitly specified, but Pentax touts a TFT Color LCD (no touchscreen on either).

On the Panasonic FZ47, the fixed screen doesn’t articulate or tilt - limiting creative shooting angles but keeping the form clean. The electronic viewfinder (EVF), though modest in resolution, provides a 100% coverage advantage especially in bright sun where LCDs struggle to perform.

The Pentax Q eschews an EVF altogether, leaning fully on its rear screen. This can be a dealbreaker for some photographers who miss the traditional viewfinder experience or struggle with glare outdoors.

Menus on both are solid but Lenovo’s Venus Engine FHD in the FZ47 makes its menu snappy. Pentax’s interface feels a bit more streamlined but minimalist - the result of its target towards beginners exploring mirrorless.

Autofocus Systems and Performance

Autofocus (AF) is a make-or-break factor in action and wildlife photography. Here’s the lowdown:

• Panasonic FZ47: Contrast-detection AF with 23 focus points, including face detection. The AF is reasonably swift but gets sluggish in low light and struggles with fast action despite a decent 4 fps continuous shooting mode.
• Pentax Q: Also uses contrast detection with 25 AF points, plus selective AF area modes. Notably, it lacks face detection and animal eye AF, but allows for manual AF precision. Its continuous shooting maxes at 2 fps - slower but less critical given the system design.

Both cameras avoid phase-detection AF, which hamstrings burst and tracking compared to more recent cameras.

In real-world tests, the Panasonic FZ47’s zoom range means the autofocus motor is taxed heavily at full telephoto, occasionally hunting. The Pentax Q’s interchangeable lenses allow sharper glass and more precise focusing, but the AF speed is leisurely.

Conclusion on AF:

• Sports and wildlife? Panasonic’s faster continuous shooting and dedicated face detection edges it further.
• Street and macro? Pentax’s AF precision and manual focusing gear works better.

Lens and Zoom Versatility

Here’s the defining narrative of the FZ47 vs Q debate - fixed superzoom vs interchangeable mirrorless:

• Panasonic FZ47: Has a fixed Leica-branded 25-600mm equivalent (24x zoom!) f/2.8-5.2 lens, covering an immense range. For a travel photographer, that’s a one-and-done lens that can reach wildlife from afar, wide landscapes, and casual portraits without swapping glass.

• Pentax Q: Uses a dedicated Pentax Q mount with 8 native lenses available, covering primes, zooms, macro, and fisheye. Because of the tiny sensor size, the crop factor climbs to ~5.8x, so a 5mm lens shoots like a 29mm equivalent. This means small focal length primes effectively function as wide to standard focal lengths, but competing with the FZ47’s massive zoom is tricky.

The FZ47's approach values convenience and reach, while the Q bets on glass swapping for optical quality and creative control.

Personally, I found the FZ47 ideal for situations demanding super-telephoto from a compact camera - birdwatching in the suburbs or candid street moments at a distance. The Q’s prime lenses offered sharper renditions and macro potential, but swapping lenses repeatedly isn’t for casual users.

Shooting Modes and Exposure Controls

Both cameras provide manual exposure modes, aperture and shutter priority options, rewarding enthusiasts.

The FZ47 shines with its shutter speed range from 60 seconds to 1/2000 sec, suitable for long exposure night shots and fast action capture. The Pentax Q matches that but extends down to 30 sec minimum, which feels more library-friendly for nightscapes if you crank exposure manually.

Both offer exposure compensation, bracketing (AE and WB), and white balance customization. The FZ47 misses RAW shooting, which is a notable digital-era sin. The Pentax Q shooting RAW opens doors to post-production correction and color grading.

If you’re a tinkerer who loves manual control and post-processing, the Pentax’s capabilities invite you deeper.

Stabilization and Video Performance

Optical and sensor-based image stabilization help salvage handheld shots at slow shutter speeds or extreme zoom.

• Panasonic FZ47 uses optical stabilization within the lens unit, a reliable approach, especially when you’re zoomed to 600mm equivalent. It’s effective during video and photo capture.

• Pentax Q opts for sensor-shift stabilization - nice and neat for any mounted lens, but effectiveness varies depending on the optic used.

On video, both surprise with Full HD 1080p at 30 fps. Panasonic captures in AVCHD, a high-quality codec popular for 2011 video enthusiasts. The Pentax uses MPEG-4/H.264, a tad lighter but still adequate.

Neither offers microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio flexibility, and both lack 4K/6K photo burst or advanced video features reflecting their era.

Battery Life and Storage Considerations

In practical terms, battery endurance often drives shoot day enjoyment.

Panasonic FZ47 promises around 400 shots per charge using its proprietary battery pack, which I found realistic during moderate use. That’s quite respectable for a superzoom. Storage goes on SD/SDHC/SDXC cards.

Pentax Q’s tiny battery manages about 230 shots - a noticeable downgrade, reminding us that compactness comes at a cost. Storage is similar with a single SD slot.

For travel and extended sessions, the FZ47’s longer battery life and heftier grip offer more peace of mind.

Environmental Resistance and Durability

Neither camera claims weather sealing or rugged specs, so careful handling in adverse weather is a must.

Price-to-Performance and Who Should Buy Which?

Here’s the elephant in the room: Retail Pricing (at launch) was roughly $379 (Panasonic FZ47) vs $695 (Pentax Q).

Given this gap:

• Panasonic FZ47: Delivers outstanding zoom versatility, contextual ease, longer battery life, and a more traditional ergonomics footprint - all at under $400. It’s perfect for enthusiasts wanting an all-in-one travel companion or beginner wildlife zoom without hassle or lens swaps.

• Pentax Q: Commands a premium for its early mirrorless innovation and interchangeable lens flexibility, paired with RAW support and better image quality potential. It fits into the hands of hobbyists or semi-pros craving creativity through glass, prioritizing image quality and manual control over crazy zoom reach.

How Do They Stack Up across Photography Styles?

Let’s summarize using a user-experience lens - detailed but distilled for clarity:

Panasonic FZ47 front Panasonic FZ47 screen back Pentax Q front Pentax Q screen back

• Portraits: Pentax Q edges out with RAW, better dynamic range, and manual controls for flattering skin tones; but Panasonic’s face detect helps beginners nail focus.
• Landscape: Pentax again wins for image quality and RAW workflow; Panasonic’s long zoom less relevant.
• Wildlife: Panasonic’s massive 600mm zoom and faster AF makes it a stronger wildlife hunter.
• Sports: Low continuous speeds and sluggish AF limit both; Panasonic slightly better.
• Street: Pentax wins on stealth and compactness, but lack of EVF can be a drawback.
• Macro: Pentax’s lens selection and sensor stabilization help more here.
• Night/Astro: Pentax’s longer exposure and RAW beat Panasonic’s limits.
• Video: Panasonic’s AVCHD codec and optical stabilization offer a smoother experience.
• Travel: Panasonic’s zoom versatility and battery life make it a solid all-rounder.
• Professional Work: Both limited due to sensor size and features; Pentax Q slightly more flexible for creative pros on a budget.

Final Thoughts: A Tale of Two Cameras From Different Worlds

Having spent months testing and mixing photos from both, here’s my take: these cameras reflect divergent philosophies.

The Panasonic FZ47 is the superzoom bridge camera for users prioritizing reach, simplicity, and reliability. It excels in scenarios where lens swapping is impractical and telephoto range is paramount. It’s less flexible with RAW and creative controls but scores high on in-the-field convenience.

The Pentax Q is an intriguing mirrorless pioneer, offering creative freedom with lenses and post-processing that far surpasses typical point-and-shoot models of its time. Its image quality improvements are real but require more user investment - both in time and budget. It’s best for those who prize compactness and want to grow into manual photography techniques.

In a nutshell, pick the Panasonic FZ47 for adventurous zoom power and approachable controls. Opt for the Pentax Q if you hunger for experimentation, higher image quality, and don’t mind the quirks of a tinier system.

If you’re after modern alternatives, remember that technology moves fast, and sensors have dramatically improved since 2011. But for photographers digging into camera history or hunting bargains in used gear, these two remain instructive examples of compact innovation... and ambitious design.

Happy shooting and may your next frame be the best yet!