Updated (January, 2012): Compare the Canon PowerShot G1X vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Canon PowerShot G12

71

"Excellent build quality"
dpreview.com | talking about the G12's build-quality
"We have no hesitation in saying that the G12 is the best Canon G-series camera to date, but its original USP - as a bridge between compact cameras and DSLRs - is in danger of being eroded."
dpreview.com | talking about the G12's overall-performance

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot G12

Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
HDR
In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Battery life
Great battery life
370 shots
Macro focus
Great macro
1 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

40

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Zoom
Great zoom
18x
External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Battery life
Great battery life
470 shots
Macro focus
Great macro
1 cm
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Canon G12

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen Yes vs No
Help
Flip-out screens can be helpful when composing tricky shots or taking movies
Supports 24p Supports 24p Yes vs No
Help
Get that real film feel
Sensor size Much larger sensor 1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm vs 1/2.3" 6.1x4.6mm
Help
More than 50% larger sensor
Size Significantly smaller 112x76x48 mm vs 118x76x89 mm
Help
Around 50% smaller
HDR Has in-camera HDR Yes vs No
Help
Combines multiple exposures to capture high dynamic range
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Screen size Larger screen 2.8" vs 2.7"
Help
Almost the same
External flash Supports an external flash Yes vs No
Help
An external flash often produces better looking flash images
Thickness Significantly thinner 1.9" vs 3.5"
Help
Around 50% thinner
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The G12's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
True resolution Higher true resolution 10 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $389.99 vs $560.83
Help
The best price we've seen is $171 cheaper (more than 30% less)
Fastest shutter speed Significantly faster max shutter speed 1/4000s vs 1/2000s
Help
2x faster max shutter speed
Canon PowerShot G12 Learn more about
the Canon G12

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-FZ38

External mic jack Has an external mic jack Yes vs No
Help
Record high quality audio with an external microphone
Zoom More zoom 18x vs 5x
Help
Around 13x more zoom
Battery life Longer battery life 470 shots vs 370 shots
Help
Around 30% more shots per battery charge
Wide angle Better wide angle 27 mm vs 28 mm
Help
Almost the same
Light sensitivity (boost) Has boost ISO 6,400 ISO vs None
Help
Allows taking photos in darker situations, often at the cost of additional noise in the image
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
4x longer exposures
Weight Slightly lighter 367 g vs 401 g
Help
Around 10% lighter
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ38
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot G12 Canon PowerShot G12
71 vs 40
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot G12. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro digicam with a super zoom.

advice

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0
votes
by Kathy-Smith last month
Canon G12 vs Olympus XZ-1

My last camera was a CANON A90. It no longer works.

One person recommends the Canon G12:

"Both cameras can shoot RAW images, but I think I would lean toward to the G12 because it is a bit ..."

2
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by Andy-Stone last month
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I'm looking for a camera for my partner, a wildlife officer. Any type is considered. It should...

0
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by Shirley-Boey last month
Canon G12 vs Samsung NX200

Used compact cameras for a long time. Very little SLR knowledge. Intend to take up photography les...

One person recommends the Canon G12:

"Hi Shirley, I wouldn't generally recommend the Samsung NX200 mirrorless camera, if you do want a m..."

2
votes
by David-Bavers last month
Canon G12 vs Panasonic DMC-FZ150

I have had a Lumix DMC-FZ7 and loved it but it was pretty heavy. Still worth the weight for the pi...

0
votes
by Rich-Hagen this month
Canon G12 vs Panasonic DMC-FZ150

i am a beginner and like to shoot video and still shots.  I need a wide angle lens. A camera ...

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
f/2.8
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Battery life Great battery life Help
G12:370 shots
DMC-FZ38:470 shots
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
1 cm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Viewfinder Viewfinders Help
G12:Tunnel
DMC-FZ38:Digital
Lowest price Very expensive Help
G12:$389.99
DMC-FZ38:$560.83
Weight Heavy Help
G12:401 g
DMC-FZ38:367 g
Thickness Quite thick Help
G12:1.9"
DMC-FZ38:3.5"
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen size Very small screens Help
G12:2.8"
DMC-FZ38:2.7"
Size Large Help
G12:112x76x48 mm
DMC-FZ38:118x76x89 mm
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
G12:720p @ 24fps
DMC-FZ38:720p @ 30fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Canon EOS 1100D

Canon EOS 1100D

Entry-level DSLR

$489 - $546 body only

$587 - $643 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has significantly better image quality
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$499 - $500

Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a slightly larger screen
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Canon EOS 550D

Canon EOS 550D

Entry-level DSLR

$704 - $916 body only

$731 - $874 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has much better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Lowest price Is much more expensive
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot G12 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot G1X

Canon PowerShot G1X

Boutique

$799 - $800

Sensor size Much larger sensor
Low light performance Much lower noise at high ISO
Macro focus Much worse macro capability
Battery life Significantly shorter battery life
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Battery life Much shorter battery life
Nikon Coolpix P7100

Nikon Coolpix P7100

Pro digicam

$450

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen resolution Significantly higher resolution screen
Supports 24p No 24p support
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Supports 24p No 24p support
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$350

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Supports 24p No 24p support

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ47

Super zoom

$285

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Autofocus Faster video autofocus
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Supports RAW No RAW support
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $229

Screen resolution Much higher resolution screen
Screen size Significantly larger screen
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Aperture Narrower aperture
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ45

Super zoom

$366 - $450

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Zoom More zoom
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Size Slightly larger
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Super zoom

$136 - $152

Lowest price Much cheaper
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Weight Heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Super zoom

$611

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Size Larger

appearance

Canon PowerShot G12 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot G12 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot G12 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

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