Panasonic FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Comparison

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Panasonic FX90

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

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Olympus XZ-2 iHS

12 MP | 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) CMOS Sensor

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Panasonic FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Comparison Overview

In this review, we will be comparing FX90 and XZ-2 iHS, two Small Sensor Compact cameras from Panasonic and Olympus. Panasonic FX90 was introduced to market in August 2011 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS was launched in December 2012. There is 16 months difference between FX90 and XZ-2 iHS so we don't expect to see a huge technology difference between these two cameras but it would still give an advantage to younger XZ-2 iHS, especially in sensor tech.

Here is a brief look at the main features of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Panasonic FX90 Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2011-08-26

12MP - 1/2.3-inch CCD Sensor

ISO 80 - 6400

24-120 mm F2.5-5.9 Zoom Lens

Optical Image Stabilization

3.00" Fixed Type Screen

4.0fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

Built-in Wireless

149g. 102 x 56 x 22 mm

Olympus XZ-2 iHS Key Specs

Announcement Date: 2012-12-18

12MP - 1/1.7-inch CMOS Sensor

ISO 100 - 12800

28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 Zoom Lens

Sensor-shift Image Stabilization

3.00" Tilting Screen

fps continuous shooting

Full HD - 1920 x 1080 video resolution

346g. 113 x 65 x 48 mm

Let's read on the following sections in order to better understand in detail how Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS compares and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one is better for you.

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Reasons to choose Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 over Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Wireless Connection	Built-In vs Eye-Fi Connected	Better connectivity
Max Mech. Shutter	1/4000s vs 1/2000s	faster mechanical shutter
Weight	149 g vs 346 g	197 g lighter
Focal Length - Wide	24mm vs 28mm	4 mm wider coverage
Focal Length - Tele	120mm vs 112mm	8 mm longer tele reach
Optical Zoom	5× vs 4x	more flexible focal coverage

CHECK FX90 PRICE

Reasons to choose Olympus XZ-2 iHS over Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90

LCD Screen	Tilting vs Fixed Type	Flexible shooting positions
External Flash Shoe	Yes vs No	Better for flash photography
RAW Support	Yes vs No	Better image quality
Face Detection Focus	Yes vs No	very handy for portraits
Max ISO	12.800 vs 6.400	100% higher Max ISO
Number of Focus Points	35 vs 23	12 more focus points
LCD Screen Resolution	920k dots vs 460k dots	100% higher resolution screen
Battery Life	340 shots vs 200 shots	140 more frames with a single charge
Manual Exposure	Yes vs No	better exposure control
Microphone Port	Yes vs No	High quality audio recording option
Max Aperture - Wide	1.80 vs 2.50	faster lens at wide
Max Aperture - Tele	2.50 vs 5.90	faster lens at tele
Flash Coverage	8.6m vs 5.9m	2.7m longer range
Sensor Pixel Area	3.52µm² vs 2.31µm²	52% larger pixel area
AE Bracketing	Yes vs No	Useful for tough lighting conditions and HDR
Built-in ND Filter	Yes vs No	Use larger aperture under strong light

CHECK XZ-2 iHS PRICE

Common Strengths of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS

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
Touch Screen	Yes vs Yes	Easy control of camera functions

Common Weaknesses of Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Environmental Sealing	No vs No	not suitable for tough conditions

Panasonic FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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 FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS side-by-side from the front, back and top in their relative dimensions. Panasonic FX90 has external dimensions of 102 x 56 x 22 mm (4.02 x 2.2 x 0.87″) and weighs 149 g (0.33 lb / 5.26 oz) (including batteries). Olympus XZ-2 iHS has external dimensions of 113 x 65 x 48 mm (4.45 x 2.56 x 1.89″) and weighs 346 g (0.76 lb / 12.20 oz) (including batteries).

Below you can see the front view size comparison of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS. Panasonic FX90 is clearly the smaller of the two cameras. Its body is 11mm narrower, 9mm shorter and 26mm thinner than Olympus XZ-2 iHS.

Comparison image of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size, Weight and External Dimensions - Front View

Now lets look at the top view comparison of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS.

Top View Comparison image of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Size

Weight is another important factor especially when deciding on a camera that you want to carry with you all day. Panasonic FX90 is significantly lighter (197g ) than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS which may become a big advantage especially on long walking trips.

Weight Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Thickness Comparison

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Min

Average

Max

Weather Sealing

Unfortunately neither Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90 nor Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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

Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS's LCD screens has the same diagonal size of 3.00".

On the other hand, Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a Tilting screen where you can change the angle of the screen to make it easier to shoot from waist or over the head levels whereas the Panasonic FX90 has a fixed type screen which provides less flexibility in shooting positions compared to XZ-2 iHS.

Panasonic FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: Sensor Comparison

Both Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS have 12.0 MP resolution sensors but Panasonic FX90's sensor is 1/2.3-inch (6.08 x 4.56 mm ) and Olympus XZ-2 iHS's sensor is 1/1.7-inch (7.44 x 5.58 mm ).

Since Olympus XZ-2 iHS's has a larger sensor area with the same resolution, this means that it also has a larger pixel area hence better light collecting capacity for a given aperture compared to Panasonic FX90.

Below you can see the FX90 and XZ-2 iHS sensor size comparison.

Sensor Size and Resolution Comparison image of Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Cameras

As seen above, Olympus XZ-2 iHS has a 1.5x Larger sensor area than Panasonic FX90. 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 FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS Lens Specs Comparison

Panasonic FX90 features a 24-120 mm F2.5-5.9 5× zoom lens whereas Olympus XZ-2 iHS features a 28-112 mm F1.8-2.5 4x zoom lens.

Panasonic FX90 has 4mm wider coverage than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS. On the other hand, with a max aperture of f1.80, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is faster at widest end. On the tele end, Panasonic FX90 has 8mm longer reach than the Olympus XZ-2 iHS. However, with a max aperture of f2.50, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is faster at tele end.

Wide Coverage

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Widest - Olympus TG-850 iHS

Average

Telezoom

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Longest - Canon SX520 HS

Average

Max Aperture at Tele

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Fastest - Ricoh GR Digital IV

Average

Max Aperture at Wide

Compact Cameras

FX90

XZ-2 iHS

Fastest - Leica D-Lux 6

Average

What types of Photography are Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS Good for?

In this section, we rank and compare Panasonic FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS 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 FX90 for Portrait Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Portrait Photography

AVERAGE

Image Stabilization
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
No Manual Exposure Mode
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Read the details

Panasonic FX90 for Street Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Street Photography

EXCELLENT

Image Stabilization
Small Body
Live-view
Fast Lens at Wide: f2.50
24 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
Face-Detection Focusing
Tilting LCD Screen
Fast Lens at Wide: f1.80
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Optional External Viewfinder
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
Read the details

Panasonic FX90 for Sports Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Sports Photography

POOR

Image Stabilization
Fast Max shutter speed: 1/4000s
23 Focus Points
Wireless Connection
Average Continuous Shooting: 4.0fps
120 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
Poor Battery Life: 200 shots
Slow Lens at Tele: f5.90
Read the details

Image Stabilization
RAW shooting capability
External Flash Shoe
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
35 Focus Points
Optional External Viewfinder
Average Max shutter speed: 1/2000s
Not so good Ergonomics&Handling
Environmental Sealings
112 mm Tele Lens
Read the details

Panasonic FX90 for Daily Photography

AVERAGE

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Daily Photography

GOOD

Compact Body
149g
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
4.0X Optical Zoom
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
346g
Body Thickness 48mm
Read the details

Panasonic FX90 for Landscape Photography

POOR

Olympus XZ-2 iHS for Landscape Photography

POOR

24 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 Manual Exposure Mode
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

RAW shooting capability
Manual Focus Mode
Manual Exposure Mode
28 mm - Good Wide Angle Coverage
Average Resolution Sensor: 12.0MP
Small 1/1.7" (7.44 x 5.58 mm) sensor
No Environmental Sealings
Read the details

Panasonic FX90 vs Olympus XZ-2 iHS: 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 FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS, below you can find their scores in five different aspects. Our Decision Algorithm dynamically scores cameras using 69 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 FX90 and Olympus XZ-2 iHS scores compare:

Panasonic FX90

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #201 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #798 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-2 iHS

Imaging

Features

Value

Portability

Overall

Ranked #10 out of 477 in Compact cameras
Ranked #299 out of 1242 in all Cameras

Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the overall winner of this comparison. It has a higher Overall Score and beats Panasonic FX90 in all criteria except one: Portability.
If small size and light body is a big priority for you, choose Panasonic FX90. Otherwise, Olympus XZ-2 iHS is the better camera overall.

Olympus XZ-2 iHS vs Panasonic FX90 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX90	Olympus XZ-2 iHS
Brand	Panasonic	Olympus
Announced	2011-08-26	2012-12-18
Body Type	Compact	Compact
Sensor
Type	CCD	CMOS
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	12 megapixels
Max Resolution	4000 x 3000	3968 x 2976
Max Native Light sensitivity	6,400 ISO	12,800 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	23	35
Lens
Manual Focus
Lens Mount	fixed lens	fixed lens
Lens Focal Range	24-120 mm (5×)	28-112 mm (4x)
Max Aperture	F2.5-5.9	F1.8-2.5
Macro Focus Range	3cm	1cm
Screen
Type	Fixed type	Tilting
Size	3.00"	3.00"
Resolution	460k dots	920k dots
Touch Screen
Viewfinder
Viewfinder	None	Electronic (optional)
Photography Features
Max Mechanical Shutter	1/4000s	1/2000s
Shutter Priority
Aperture Priority
Manual Exposure Mode
Custom White Balance
Built-in Image Stabilization	Optical	Sensor-shift
Built-in Flash
Flash Range	5.90 m	8.60 m (ISO 800)
External Flash
Continuous Shooting	4.0 fps	n/a
Multi-Segment Metering
Average Metering
Spot Metering
Partial Metering
AF-Area Metering
Center Weighted Metering
AE Bracketing
WB Bracketing
Video Features
Max Video Resolution	1920 x 1080	1920 x 1080
Video Formats	MPEG-4, AVCHD	MPEG-4, H.264
Microphone Port
Headphone Port
Connectivity
Wireless Connectivity	Built-In	Eye-Fi Connected
HDMI
Physical
Environmental Sealing
Weight	149g	346g
Dimensions	102 x 56 x 22mm	113 x 65 x 48mm
Battery Life	200 shots	340 shots
Other Features
Timelapse Recording
GPS	None	None
DxO Sensor Scores
DxO Overall Score	not tested	49
DxO Color Depth	not tested	20.4
DxO Dynamic Range	not tested	11.3
DxO Low Light ISO	not tested	216
	Report a correction	Report a correction