Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7 Comparison

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Nikon P300

12 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) BSI-CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic FH7

16 MP | 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) CCD Sensor

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Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing P300 and FH7, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Nikon and Panasonic. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Nikon P300 has a 12.0 MP and Panasonic FH7 has a 16.0 MP resolution. Nikon P300 was introduced to market in May 2011 and Panasonic FH7 was launched in September 2011. There is only 3 months difference between P300 and FH7 so we are expecting this to be a fair comparison regarding age and technology level.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Nikon P300 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-05-31

12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor

ISO 160 - 3200

24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

7 fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

120fps High-Speed Video

189g. 103 x 58 x 32 mm

Panasonic FH7 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-09-07

16MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 100 - 6400

28-112 mm F3.1-6.5 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

4 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

126g. 95 x 56 x 19 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-FS22

Nikon P300 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P310. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Nikon Coolpix P300
Nikon Coolpix P310 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 (Lumix DMC-FS22)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P300 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7

LCD Screen Resolution	922k dots vs 230k dots	300% higher resolution screen
Max Mech. Shutter	1/2000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	7.0fps vs 4.0fps	3 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Optical Zoom	4.2× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 3.10	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 6.50	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	6.5m vs 3.3m	3.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	2.34µm² vs 1.74µm²	34% larger pixel area
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080 vs 1280 x 720	Higher Resolution Video

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 over Nikon Coolpix P300

Touch Screen	Yes vs No	Easy control of camera functions
Max Sensor Resolution	16 MP vs 12 MP	33% more pixels
Max ISO	6.400 vs 3.200	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Battery Life	260 shots vs 240 shots	20 more frames with a single charge
Weight	126 g vs 189 g	63 g lighter
Focal Length - Tele	112mm vs 100mm	12 mm longer tele reach

Common Strengths of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs Yes	very handy for portraits

Common Weaknesses of Nikon Coolpix P300 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7

Fixed Screen	Fixed Type vs No	No flexible viewing angles
External Flash Shoe	No vs No	Not suitable for flash photography
Viewfinder	None vs None	No eye-level shooting option
RAW Support	No vs No	Lower image quality
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7: Physical Specs and Body features Comparison

Size and weight is a big decision factor when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs. In this section, We are going to illustrate Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Nikon P300 has external dimensions of 103 x 58 x 32 mm (4.06 x 2.28 x 1.26″) and weighs 189 g (0.42 lb / 6.67 oz) (including batteries). Panasonic FH7 has external dimensions of 95 x 56 x 19 mm (3.74 x 2.2 x 0.75″) and weighs 126 g (0.28 lb / 4.44 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7. Panasonic FH7 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 8mm narrower, 2mm shorter and 13mm thinner than Nikon P300.

Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7.

Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 Size and Weight - Back View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7.

Top View Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FH7 is significantly lighter (63g ) than the Nikon P300 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Nikon Coolpix P300 nor Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7 (Lumix DMC-FS22) provides any type of weather sealing in their body, so you have to give extra care especially when you are shooting outdoors. If weather sealing is a must-have feature for you, check these sections:
Top Compact Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3".

Unfortunately, both cameras has fixed screens so they don't tilt or flip in directions.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7: Sensor Comparison

Nikon P300 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Expeed C2 processor. On the other hand, Panasonic FH7 has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Venus Engine IV processor.

Below you can see the P300 and FH7 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 Cameras

Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 have almost the same sensor size so none of them has any significant advantage over other in providing control over depth of field when used with same focal length and aperture.

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7 Lens Specs Comparison

Nikon P300 features a 24-100 mm F1.8-4.9 4.2× zoom lens whereas Panasonic FH7 features a 28-112 mm F3.1-6.5 4× zoom lens.

Nikon P300 has 4mm wider coverage than the Panasonic FH7. At f1.80, it is also faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FH7 has 12mm longer telezoom reach than the Nikon P300. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Nikon P300 is faster at widest end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

P300

FH7

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 for five different photography types in order to make your decision process easier in case you are specifically interested in one or more of these areas.

Nikon P300 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Panasonic FH7 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Street Photography

GOOD

Panasonic FH7 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Sports Photography

POOR

Panasonic FH7 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Fast Continuous Shooting: 7.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 240 shots
100 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Image Stabilization
11 Focus Points
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
Poor Battery Life: 260 shots
112 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f6.50
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Panasonic FH7 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Compact Body
189g
4.2X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Compact Body
126g
Body Thickness 19mm
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Nikon P300 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Panasonic FH7 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Exposure Mode
24 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Nikon P300 vs Panasonic FH7: OUR DECISION

You may have already made your decision about which camera suits better for your needs and your budget so far but in case you wonder how we rated Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 63 different specs, current price and DxO Mark scores (where possible) in order to make a more objective and consistent comparison.

Here is a summary of how Nikon P300 and Panasonic FH7 scores compare:

Nikon P300

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #177 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #732 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FH7

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #268 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #875 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P300 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic FH7 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic FH7 vs Nikon P300 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Nikon Coolpix P300	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH7
Brand	Nikon	Panasonic
Announced	2011-05-31	2011-09-07
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	BSI-CMOS	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/2.3-inch
Dimensions	6.17 x 4.55 mm	6.08 x 4.56 mm
Area	28.07mm²	27.72mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	16 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	6,400 ISO
Min Native Light sensitivity	160 ISO	100 ISO
RAW Support
Autofocus
AF Touch
AF Continuous
AF Single
AF Tracking
AF Selective
AF Center
AF Multi Area
AF Live View
AF Face Detection
AF Contrast Detection
AF Phase Detection
Number of Focus Points	9	11
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-100 mm (4.2×)	28-112 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F1.8-4.9	F3.1-6.5
Macro Focus Range	3cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	3"	3"
Resolution	922k dots	230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/2000s	1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.50 m	3.30 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	7.0 fps	4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1280 x 720
Video Formats	H.264, Motion JPEG	Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	189g	126g
Dimensions	103 x 58 x 32mm	95 x 56 x 19mm
Battery Life	240 shots	260 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction