Updated (August, 2010): Compare the Canon PowerShot S95 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Canon PowerShot S90

57

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S90

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
Size
Really small
Compact 100x58x30 mm
Low light performance
Low noise at high ISO
185 ISO
Sensor size
Large sensor
1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
Light sensitivity (boost)
High ISO (boost)
12,800 ISO
Thickness
Thin
1.2"
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

40

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Battery life
Great battery life
470 shots
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Canon S90

Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.0 vs f/2.8
Help
At its widest zoom, the S90's lens captures slightly more light (1 f-stop)
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 Much smaller 100x58x30 mm vs 118x76x89 mm
Help
4.4x smaller
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 461k dots vs 230k dots
Help
More than 2x higher resolution screen
Thickness Much thinner 1.2" vs 3.5"
Help
2.9x thinner
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO
Help
The S90's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The S90's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Weight Significantly lighter 198 g vs 367 g
Help
Around 50% lighter
True resolution Higher true resolution 10 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Canon PowerShot S90 Learn more about
the Canon S90

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 3.8x
Help
More than 23x more zoom
Movie format Higher resolution movies 720p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution HD (720p) video
Wide angle Better wide angle 27 mm vs 28 mm
Help
Almost the same
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Digital vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 2.3 fps vs 0.9 fps
Help
More than 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
4x longer exposures
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/2000s vs 1/1600s
Help
20% faster max shutter speed
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ38
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot S90 Canon PowerShot S90
57 vs 40
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot S90. 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

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the Canon S90 or the Panasonic DMC-FZ38,
For example: Taking photos in low light or great family photos or ability to take great photos underwater

Select aspects that are most important to you: (max 3)

Popular tags:

Are you a camera expert? Share your knowledge!

0
votes
by daisymanhn 12 hours ago
Canon S90 vs Canon S100

I have used the ELPH1000 with great satisfaction and want to upgrade without losing familiarity ...

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
S90:f/2.0
DMC-FZ38:f/2.8
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
Sensor type Lower-end sensor types Help
CCD
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Movie format Poor movies Help
S90:480p @ 30fps
DMC-FZ38:720p @ 30fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Battery life Has a much shorter battery life
Macro focus Slightly worse macro focusing
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Supports 24p Records movies in 24p
Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity
Thickness Is thicker
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100

Entry-level DSLR

$500 - $597 body only

$600 - $697 with 18-55mm lens

Overall image quality Has much better image quality
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
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 much heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF3

Mirrorless interchangeable-lens

$433 body only

Movie format Records higher quality movies
True resolution Takes much higher resolution photos
Battery life Has a significantly shorter battery life
Dynamic range Has significantly narrower dynamic range
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30

Panasonic Lumix TZ30

Travel zoom

$434 - $474

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Supports RAW Doesn't shoot RAW
Battery life Has a much shorter battery life

Canon PowerShot S90 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95

Pro digicam

$340 - $389

Supports 24p Supports 24p
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX3

Pro digicam

$555

Supports 24p Supports 24p
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Low light performance Significantly more noise at high ISO
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$339

Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Overall image quality Worse image quality
Low light performance More noise at high ISO
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Light sensitivity (boost) No boost ISO
Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon Coolpix P300

Pro digicam

$299

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Sensor size Much smaller sensor
Supports RAW No RAW support

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$495 - $500

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Size Larger
Battery life Shorter battery life
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 - $215

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-FZ28

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Super zoom

$136 - $151

Lowest price Much cheaper
External mic jack Lacks an external mic jack
Weight Heavier
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

appearance

Canon PowerShot S90 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot S90 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot S90 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

discussion

Showing 0 comments