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Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Comparison

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Panasonic FX48

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

Panasonic FX48
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Canon SD4000 IS

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

Canon SD4000 IS
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Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing FX48 and SD4000 IS, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Canon. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0 MP and Canon SD4000 IS has a 10.0 MP resolution. Panasonic FX48 was introduced to market in January 2009 and Canon SD4000 IS was launched in August 2010. There is 18 months difference between FX48 and SD4000 IS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger SD4000 IS, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS 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 SD4000 IS Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2010-08-02
  • 10MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 100 - 3200
  • 28-105 mm F2.0-5.3 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 4 fps continuous shooting
  • HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution
  • 175g. 100 x 54 x 23 mm
  • Also known as IXUS 300 HS / IXY 30S

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS 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 SD4000 IS
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Max Sensor Resolution
12 MP vs 10 MP 19% more pixels
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3000s vs 1/2500s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
150 g vs 175 g 25 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
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 SD4000 IS over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
Continuous Shooting
4.0fps vs 2.0fps 2 fps faster
Max Aperture - Wide
2.00 vs 2.80 faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele
5.30 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1280 x 720 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Optical Sharper images at longer focal lengths and long exposures
Built-in Flash
Yes vs Yes Useful in low-light
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
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
LCD Screen Resolution
230k dots vs 230k dots Low resolution screens
Manual Focusing
No vs No No manual focusing modes
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS: 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 SD4000 IS 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 SD4000 IS has external dimensions of 100 x 54 x 23 mm (3.94 x 2.13 x 0.91″) and weighs 175 g (0.39 lb / 6.17 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 5mm narrower, 1mm shorter and 1mm thinner than Canon SD4000 IS.

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS.

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS Size and Weight - Back 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 (25g ) than the Canon SD4000 IS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS (IXUS 300 HS / IXY 30S) 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 SD4000 IS'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 SD4000 IS: 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 SD4000 IS has a 10.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features Digic 4 processor.

Below you can see the FX48 and SD4000 IS sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS Cameras


Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS 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.

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Canon SD4000 IS features a 28-105 mm F2.0-5.3 3.8× zoom lens.

Panasonic FX48 has 3mm wider coverage than the Canon SD4000 IS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.00, Canon SD4000 IS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FX48 has 20mm longer reach than the Canon SD4000 IS. However, with a max aperture of f5.30, Canon SD4000 IS is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX48
SD4000 IS
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Canon SD4000 IS 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 SD4000 IS 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
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
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

Panasonic FX48 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SD4000 IS for Street Photography

AVERAGE
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
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.00
28 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

Panasonic FX48 for Sports Photography

POOR

Canon SD4000 IS 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
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2500s
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
Focus Points
105 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Canon SD4000 IS for Daily Photography

AVERAGE
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
Compact Body
175g
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
3.8X Optical Zoom
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Canon SD4000 IS 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
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
Very Low Resolution Sensor: 10.0MP
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 vs Canon SD4000 IS: 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 SD4000 IS, 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 SD4000 IS 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 SD4000 IS
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #312 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #945 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FX48 is the clear winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Canon SD4000 IS in all criteria. It has better general image quality, more features, more compact body and offers more value for the money

Panasonic FX48
Panasonic FX48
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Canon SD4000 IS
Canon SD4000 IS
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Canon SD4000 IS vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 Canon PowerShot SD4000 IS
Brand Panasonic Canon
Announced 2009-01-27 2010-08-02
Body Type Compact Compact
Sensor
Type CCD BSI-CMOS
Size 1/2.3-inch 1/2.3-inch
Dimensions 6.08 x 4.56 mm 6.17 x 4.55 mm
Area 27.72mm2 28.07mm2
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 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 11 n/a
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 F2.0-5.3
Macro Focus Range 5cm 3cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 230k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None None
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3000s 1/2500s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 6.00 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 4.0 fps
Multi-Segment
Average
Spot
Partial
AF-Area
Center Weighted
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution 640 x 480 1280 x 720
Video Formats Motion JPEG Motion JPEG
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 150g 175g
Dimensions 95 x 53 x 22mm 100 x 54 x 23mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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