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Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500 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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Nikon P500

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

Nikon P500
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Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two cameras with different body types: Panasonic FX48, which was introduced in January 2009 is a Small Sensor Compact camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor whereas Nikon P500, which was introduced in February 2011 is a Small Sensor Superzoom camera with a 12.0MP 1/2.3-inch sensor. As you can see, FX48 is 2 years older than P500. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 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

Nikon P500 Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-02-09
  • 12MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 160 - 3200
  • 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 Zoom Lens
  • Sensor-shift Image Stabilization
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • Electronic viewfinder
  • 1 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • 240fps High-Speed Video
  • 494g. 116 x 84 x 103 mm

Nikon P500 was replaced by Nikon Coolpix P510. You may also be interested in these comparisons:
Nikon Coolpix P510 vs Nikon Coolpix P500
Nikon Coolpix P510 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 Nikon P500 compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 over Nikon Coolpix P500
Number of Focus Points
11 vs 9 2 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3000s vs 1/1500s faster mechanical shutter
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps 1 fps faster
Weight
150 g vs 494 g 344 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.40 faster lens at wide


Reasons to choose Nikon Coolpix P500 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48
LCD Screen
Tilting vs Fixed Type Flexible shooting positions
Viewfinder
Electronic vs None Better framing and control
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Focal Length - Wide
23mm vs 25mm 2 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele
810mm vs 125mm 685 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
36× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
5.70 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage
8.0m vs 6.0m 2m longer range
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Nikon Coolpix P500
Image Stabilization
Optical vs Sensor-shift 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
Manual Exposure
Yes vs Yes better exposure control
Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Nikon Coolpix P500
External Flash Shoe
No vs No Not suitable for flash photography
RAW Support
No vs No Lower image quality
Continuous Shooting
2.0fps vs 1.0fps Slow shooting speeds
Environmental Sealing
No vs No not suitable for tough conditions
Max Aperture - Tele
5.90 vs 5.70 Slow lenses at tele
Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500: 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 Nikon P500 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). Nikon P500 has external dimensions of 116 x 84 x 10 mm (4.57 x 3.31 x 4.06″) and weighs 494 g (1.09 lb / 17.43 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 21mm narrower, 31mm shorter and 81mm thinner than Nikon P500.

Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500 Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500.

Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500 Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 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 (344g ) than the Nikon P500 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Bridge Cameras

FX48
P500
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Bridge Cameras

FX48
P500
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Nikon Coolpix P500 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
Top Bridge Cameras with Weather Sealing

LCD Screen Size and Features

Nikon P500's 3" LCD screen is slightly larger than Panasonic FX48's 2.5" screen.

In addition to the size advantage, Nikon P500 LCD screen also has a Tilting feature where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels. On the other hand, Panasonic FX48 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to P500.
Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 have 1/2.3-inch sized 12.0 MP resolution sensors so sensor size and resolution is not a differentiator between these two cameras.

Below you can see the FX48 and P500 sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500 Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 Cameras


Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 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 Nikon P500 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Nikon P500 features a 23-810 mm F3.4-5.7 36× zoom lens.

Nikon P500 has 2mm wider coverage than the Panasonic FX48. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FX48 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Nikon P500 has 685mm longer reach than the Panasonic FX48. At f5.70, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48
P500
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

DSLR-Like Cameras

FX48
P500
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

DSLR-Like Cameras

FX48
P500
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

DSLR-Like Cameras

FX48
P500
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Nikon P500 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

Nikon P500 for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Average Ergonomics&Handling
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P500 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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Live-view
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
23 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Medium sized Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Sports Photography

POOR

Nikon P500 for Sports Photography

AVERAGE
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
Electronic Built-in Viewfinder
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
810 mm Tele Lens
Average Ergonomics&Handling
No RAW shooting capability
No External Flash Shoe
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1500s
9 Focus Points
Poor Battery Life: 220 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Nikon P500 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
35.2X Optical Zoom
Medium size Body
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
494g
Body Thickness 103mm
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Nikon P500 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
23 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 Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 vs Nikon P500: 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 Nikon P500, 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 Nikon P500 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
Nikon P500
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #50 out of 113 in SLR-like (bridge) cameras
Ranked #556 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Nikon P500 has a higher Overall Score than the Panasonic FX48 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Panasonic FX48
Panasonic FX48
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Nikon P500
Nikon P500
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Nikon P500 vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 Nikon Coolpix P500
Brand Panasonic Nikon
Announced 2009-01-27 2011-02-09
Body Type Compact SLR-like (bridge)
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 12 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4000 x 3000
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 6400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 160 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×) 23-810 mm (36×)
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 F3.4-5.7
Macro Focus Range 5cm 1cm
Screen
Type Fixed type Tilting
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 921k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder None Electronic
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter 1/3000s 1/1500s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization Optical Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range 6.00 m 8.00 m
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 1920 x 1080
Video Formats Motion JPEG MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 150g 494g
Dimensions 95 x 53 x 22mm 116 x 84 x 103mm
Battery Life n/a 220 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None None
DxO Sensor Scores
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