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Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V 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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Sony HX7V

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

Sony HX7V
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Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing FX48 and HX7V, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0 MP and Sony HX7V has a 16.0 MP resolution. Panasonic FX48 was introduced to market in January 2009 and Sony HX7V was launched in July 2011. As you can see, FX48 is 2 years older than HX7V. 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 Sony HX7V 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

Sony HX7V Key Specs

  • Announcement Date: 2011-07-19
  • 16MP - 1/2.3-inch BSI-CMOS Sensor
  • ISO 125 - 3200
  • 25-250 mm F3.5-5.5 Zoom Lens
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 3" Fixed Type Screen
  • 10 fps continuous shooting
  • Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution
  • Built-in GPS
  • 208g. 102 x 58 x 29 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 over Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
Face Detection Focus
Yes vs No very handy for portraits
Number of Focus Points
11 vs 9 2 more focus points
Max Mech. Shutter
1/3000s vs 1/1600s faster mechanical shutter
Weight
150 g vs 208 g 58 g lighter
Manual Exposure
Yes vs No better exposure control
Max Aperture - Wide
2.80 vs 3.50 faster lens at wide
Flash Coverage
6.0m vs 4.8m 1.2m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area
2.31µm2 vs 1.76µm2 31% larger pixel area


Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48
GPS
BuiltIn vs None track your location
Max Sensor Resolution
16 MP vs 12 MP 33% more pixels
LCD Screen Size
3" vs 2.5" 0.5 inches larger display
LCD Screen Resolution
921k dots vs 230k dots 300% higher resolution screen
Continuous Shooting
10.0fps vs 2.0fps 8 fps faster
Focal Length - Tele
250mm vs 125mm 125 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom
10× vs 5× more flexible focal coverage
Max Aperture - Tele
5.50 vs 5.90 faster lens at tele
Max Video Resolution
1920 x 1080 vs 640 x 480 Higher Resolution Video

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
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
Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V: 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 Sony HX7V 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). Sony HX7V has external dimensions of 102 x 58 x 29 mm (4.02 x 2.28 x 1.14″) and weighs 208 g (0.46 lb / 7.34 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V. Panasonic FX48 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 7mm narrower, 5mm shorter and 7mm thinner than Sony HX7V.

Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V Camera Size Comparison - Front View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V.

Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V Camera Size Comparison - Back View
Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V 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 (58g ) than the Sony HX7V which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Min
Average
Max
Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Min
Average
Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V 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

Sony HX7V'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 Sony HX7V: 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, Sony HX7V has a 16.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized BSI-CMOS sensor and features BIONZ processor.

Below you can see the FX48 and HX7V sensor size comparison.

Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V Sensor Size Comparison
Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V Cameras


Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V 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 Sony HX7V Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Sony HX7V features a 25-250 mm F3.5-5.5 10× zoom lens.

Both cameras have a wide angle coverage of 25mm. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.80, Panasonic FX48 is faster than Sony HX7V at this focal length. On the tele end, Sony HX7V has 125mm longer reach than the Panasonic FX48. At f5.50, it is also faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Widest - Ricoh WG-M1
Average
Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Longest - Canon SX520 HS
Average
Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV
Average
Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX48
HX7V
Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6
Average
What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V Good for?
In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Sony HX7V 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

Sony HX7V 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
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Sony HX7V 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
25 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

Sony HX7V 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
Fast Continuous Shooting: 10.0fps
250 mm Tele Lens
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
9 Focus Points
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony HX7V 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
Compact Body
208g
10.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Sony HX7V 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
Built-in GPS
25 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 16.0MP
Small 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) sensor
No RAW shooting capability
No Manual Focus Mode
No Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 vs Sony HX7V: 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 Sony HX7V, 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 Sony HX7V 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
Sony HX7V
Imaging
Features
Value
Portability
Overall
Ranked #276 out of 475 in Compact cameras
Ranked #897 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FX48
Panasonic FX48
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Sony HX7V
Sony HX7V
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Sony HX7V vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table
Detailed comparison of specifications
General Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX7V
Brand Panasonic Sony
Announced 2009-01-27 2011-07-19
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 16 megapixels
Max Resolution 4000 x 3000 4608 x 3456
Max Native Light sensitivity 3,200 ISO 3,200 ISO
Max Boosted Light Sensitivity 6400 ISO -
Min Native Light sensitivity 80 ISO 125 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×) 25-250 mm (10×)
Max Aperture F2.8-5.9 F3.5-5.5
Macro Focus Range 5cm n/a
Screen
Type Fixed type Fixed type
Size 2.5" 3"
Resolution 230k dots 921k 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 4.80 m
External Flash
Continuous Shooting 2.0 fps 10.0 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, AVCHD
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity None Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight 150g 208g
Dimensions 95 x 53 x 22mm 102 x 58 x 29mm
Battery Life n/a n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS None Built-in
DxO Sensor Scores
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