Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90 Comparison

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Panasonic FX48

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

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Canon S90

10 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90 Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing FX48 and S90, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Canon. Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Canon S90 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch sensor. Panasonic FX48 was introduced to market in January 2009 and Canon S90 was launched in April 2010. There is 14 months difference between FX48 and S90 so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger S90, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FX48 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2009-01-27

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200 ( expands to 6400)

25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

2.5" Fixed Type Screen

2 fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

150g. 95 x 53 x 22 mm

Also known as Lumix DMC-FX40

Canon S90 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2010-04-08

10MP - 1/1.7-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

28-105 mm F2.0-4.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

- 640 x 480 video resolution

195g. 100 x 58 x 31 mm

Replaced Canon PowerShot S70 Compare

Canon S90 was replaced by Canon PowerShot S95. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Canon PowerShot S95 vs Canon PowerShot S90
Canon PowerShot S95 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40)

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 over Canon PowerShot S90

Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution	12 MP vs 10 MP	19% more pixels
Number of Focus Points	11 vs 9	2 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter	1/3000s vs 1/1600s	faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	1 fps faster
Weight	150 g vs 195 g	45 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 28mm	3 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	125mm vs 105mm	20 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5× vs 3.8×	more flexible focal coverage

Reasons to choose Canon PowerShot S90 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48

RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.5"	0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution	461k dots vs 230k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Max Aperture - Wide	2.00 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	4.90 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Sensor Pixel Area	4.16µm² vs 2.31µm²	80% larger pixel area

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Canon PowerShot S90

Image Stabilization	Optical vs Optical	Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash	Yes vs Yes	Useful in low-light
Manual Exposure	Yes vs Yes	better exposure control

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Canon PowerShot S90

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
LCD Screen Resolution	230k dots vs 461k dots	Low resolution screens
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions
AE Bracketing	No vs No	Not good for multi-exposure HDR

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90: 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 Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FX48 has external dimensions of 95 x 53 x 22 mm (3.74 x 2.09 x 0.87″) and weighs 150 g (0.33 lb / 5.29 oz) (including batteries). Canon S90 has external dimensions of 100 x 58 x 31 mm (3.94 x 2.28 x 1.22″) and weighs 195 g (0.43 lb / 6.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 5mm narrower, 5mm shorter and 9mm thinner than Canon S90.

Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FX48 is significantly lighter (45g ) than the Canon S90 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Canon PowerShot S90 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

Canon S90's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FX48's 2.5" screen.

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

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90: Sensor Comparison

Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) sized CCD sensor . On the other hand, Canon S90 has a 10.0MP 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the FX48 and S90 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 Cameras

As seen above, Canon S90 has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FX48. Larger sensors give photographer more control on the depth of field and blurry background compared to smaller sensor when shot in same focal length and aperture.

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Canon S90 features a 28-105 mm F2.0-4.9 3.8× zoom lens.

Panasonic FX48 has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon S90. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Canon S90 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FX48 has 20mm longer reach than the Canon S90. However, with a max aperture of f4.90, Canon S90 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX48

S90

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 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.

Panasonic FX48 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Canon S90 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
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
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S90 for Street Photography

GOOD

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.80
25 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

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Built-in Viewfinder
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon S90 for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Manual Exposure Mode
11 Focus Points
Average Max shutter speed: 1/3000s
125 mm Tele Lens
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
No Manual Focus Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 2.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
No External Flash Shoe
No Built-in Viewfinder
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
105 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon S90 for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
150g
Body Thickness 22mm
5.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Compact Body
195g
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
3.8X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon S90 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Manual Exposure Mode
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/2.33" (6.08 x 4.56 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon S90: 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 Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90, 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 Panasonic FX48 and Canon S90 scores compare:

Panasonic FX48

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #299 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #930 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon S90

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #108 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #586 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Canon S90 is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic FX48 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic FX48. Otherwise, Canon S90 is the better camera overall.

Canon S90 vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48	Canon PowerShot S90
Brand	Panasonic	Canon
Announced	2009-01-27	2010-04-08
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
Size	1/2.3-inch	1/1.7-inch
Dimensions	6.08 x 4.56 mm	7.44 x 5.58 mm
Area	27.72mm²	41.52mm²
Megapixels	12 megapixels	10 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	3648 x 2736
Max Native Light sensitivity	3,200 ISO	3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity	6400 ISO	-
Min Native Light sensitivity	80 ISO	80 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	11	9
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	25-125 mm (5×)	28-105 mm (3.8×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-5.9	F2.0-4.9
Macro Focus Range	5cm	5cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Fixed type
Size	2.5"	3"
Resolution	230k dots	461k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/3000s	1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	6.50 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	1/500s
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	2.0 fps	1.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	640 x 480	640 x 480
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	150g	195g
Dimensions	95 x 53 x 22mm	100 x 58 x 31mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	46
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.2
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.0
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	185
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