Size and weight are big decision factors when you are trying to find the ideal camera for your needs.
In this section, we are going to illustrate the Panasonic FS42 and Nikon D5000 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FS42 has external dimensions of 98 x 55 x 22 mm (3.86 x 2.17 x 0.87″) and weighs 132 g (0.29 lb / 4.66 oz) (including batteries). Nikon D5000 has external dimensions of 127 x 104 x 80 mm (5 x 4.09 x 3.15″) and weighs 590 g (1.30 lb / 20.81 oz) (including batteries).
Below you can see the front-view size comparison of the Panasonic FS42 and the Nikon D5000. Panasonic FS42 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 29mm narrower, 49mm shorter and 58mm thinner than Nikon D5000. As you can tell, actually this is not a fair size comparison since Panasonic FS42 has a built-in lens but Nikon D5000 doesn't. Once you put a lens on D5000, its thickness will increase significantly.
Weight is another important factor, especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day.
Panasonic FS42 is significantly lighter (458g ) than the Nikon D5000 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.
Again, this comparison may not be very useful in real life as we are comparing the weight of a camera with a built-in lens to the body-only weight of an interchangeable lens camera. Once you put a lens on D5000, the total kit will weigh much higher.
Weather Sealing
Unfortunately neither the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FS42 nor Nikon D5000 provides any type of weather sealing in their bodies, 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 Top DSLR Cameras with Weather Sealing
LCD Screen Size and Features
Nikon D5000's 2.70" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FS42's 2.5" screen.
Moreover, Nikon D5000 sports a
Fully Articulated screen which you can change the angle and position of the screen almost freely, making it possible to shoot from waist or over-the-head levels, and especially very useful for shooting selfies and video. On the other hand, Panasonic FS42 has a fixed type screen which provides almost no flexibility in shooting positions compared to D5000.