Panasonic FX48 vs Sony W550 Comparison

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Panasonic FX48

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

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Sony W550

14 MP | 1/2.3" (6.17 x 4.55 mm) CCD Sensor

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Panasonic FX48 vs Sony W550 Comparison Overview

Here we are comparing two Compact cameras from Panasonic and Sony. Panasonic FX48 was introduced to market in January 2009 and Sony W550 was launched in July 2011. As you can see, FX48 is 2 years older than W550. Let's see if this age difference between two cameras makes a big difference.

Both cameras have 1/2.3-inch sensors but Panasonic FX48 has a 12.0 MP and Sony W550 has a 14.0 MP resolution.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 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 W550 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-07-24

14MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 3200

26-104 mm F2.7-5.7 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3" Fixed Type Screen

1 fps continuous shooting

HD - 1280 x 720 video resolution

110g. 94 x 56 x 19 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 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-W550

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
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	1 fps faster
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Focal Length - Wide	25mm vs 26mm	1 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	125mm vs 104mm	21 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5× vs 4×	more flexible focal coverage
Flash Coverage	6.0m vs 3.8m	2.2m longer range

Reasons to choose Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550 over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48

Max Sensor Resolution	14 MP vs 12 MP	16% more pixels
LCD Screen Size	3" vs 2.5"	0.5 inches larger display
Weight	110 g vs 150 g	40 g lighter
Max Aperture - Wide	2.70 vs 2.80	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	5.70 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 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550

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-W550

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
Continuous Shooting	2.0fps vs 1.0fps	Slow shooting speeds
Manual Focusing	No vs No	No manual focusing modes
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 Sony W550: 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 W550 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 W550 has external dimensions of 94 x 56 x 19 mm (3.7 x 2.2 x 0.75″) and weighs 110 g (0.24 lb / 3.88 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550. Sony W550 is 1mm narrower and 3mm thinner than Panasonic FX48 but it is also 3mm taller.

Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Here is the back view size comparison of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550.

Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 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. Sony W550 is significantly lighter (40g ) than the Panasonic FX48 which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48 (Lumix DMC-FX40) nor Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550 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 W550'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 W550: 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 W550 has a 14.0MP 1/2.3-inch (6.17 x 4.55 mm ) sized CCD sensor and features BIONZ processor.

Below you can see the FX48 and W550 sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 Cameras

Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 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 W550 Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX48 features a 25-125 mm F2.8-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Sony W550 features a 26-104 mm F2.7-5.7 4× zoom lens.

Panasonic FX48 has 1mm wider coverage than the Sony W550. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f2.70, Sony W550 is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FX48 has 21mm longer reach than the Sony W550. However, with a max aperture of f5.70, Sony W550 is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Widest - Ricoh WG-M1

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX48

W550

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX48 and Sony W550 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 W550 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: 14.0MP
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 W550 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: f2.70
26 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 W550 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
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
Slow Continuous Shooting: 1.0fps
Environmental Sealings
Slow Max shutter speed: 1/1600s
9 Focus Points
104 mm Tele Lens
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.70
Read the details

Panasonic FX48 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Sony W550 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
110g
Body Thickness 19mm
4.0X 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 W550 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

26 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 14.0MP
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 W550: 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 W550, 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 W550 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 W550

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #85 out of 155 in Ultracompact cameras
Ranked #1037 out of 1223 in all Cameras

Panasonic FX48 has a higher Overall Score than the Sony W550 and would be our choice if we have to decide between these two cameras.

Sony W550 vs Panasonic FX48 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX48	Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W550
Brand	Panasonic	Sony
Announced	2009-01-27	2011-07-24
Body Type	Compact	Ultracompact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CCD
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	14 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	4320 x 3240
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×)	26-104 mm (4×)
Max Aperture	F2.8-5.9	F2.7-5.7
Macro Focus Range	5cm	5cm
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	1/1600s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Image Stabilization	Optical	Optical
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	6.00 m	3.80 m
Max Flash Sync	n/a	s
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	1280 x 720
Video Formats	Motion JPEG	MPEG-4
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	None	None
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	150g	110g
Dimensions	95 x 53 x 22mm	94 x 56 x 19mm
Battery Life	n/a	n/a
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
	Report a correction	Report a correction