Updated (September, 2011): Compare the Canon Powershot S100 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Canon PowerShot S95

70

"Image quality is still excellent, with a usable ISO range of 80-800 and fast f/2.0 maximum aperture, albeit only at the wide-angle lens setting, making the S95 very well-suited to low-light, hand-held photography."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's iso-noise
"Something that was glaringly missing from the S90 - HD video capture - has been rectified on the S95, with 720p movies at 1280x720 pixels resolution available at 24fps complete with stereo sound."
photographyblog.com | talking about the S95's video-quality

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot S95

Aperture
Wide aperture
f/2.0
Supports 24p
24p movies
For that film look
Sensor size
Large sensor
1/1.7" 7.6x5.7mm
HDR
In-camera HDR
Combines multiple exposures
Light sensitivity (boost)
High ISO (boost)
12,800 ISO
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
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
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital

differences

Advantages of the Canon S95

Aperture Significantly wider aperture f/2.0 vs f/2.8
Help
At its widest zoom, the S95's lens captures slightly more light (1 f-stop)
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 Much smaller 99x58x29 mm vs 118x76x89 mm
Help
4.6x smaller
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
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
Thickness Much thinner 1.2" vs 3.5"
Help
3x thinner
Light sensitivity (boost) Better boost ISO 12,800 ISO vs 6,400 ISO
Help
The S95's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better
Light sensitivity Better maximum light sensitivity 3,200 ISO vs 1,600 ISO
Help
The S95's maximum light sensitivity is 1 f-stop better
Weight Significantly lighter 193 g vs 367 g
Help
Around 50% lighter
True resolution Higher true resolution 10 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $340.00 vs $560.83
Help
The best price we've seen is $221 cheaper (around 40% less)
Canon PowerShot S95 Learn more about
the Canon S95

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
Battery life Much longer battery life 470 shots vs 200 shots
Help
Around 2.5x more shots per battery charge
Macro focus Significantly better macro capability 1 cm vs 5 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 5x closer to the lens
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
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 S95 Canon PowerShot S95
70 vs 40
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot S95. 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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by Randy-Roussel last month
Canon 300 HS vs Canon S95

Not a beginner but no where near an expert. I enjoy taking pictures and making movies for the litt...

2 people recommend the Canon S95:

" I also agree with Alex.  The faster glass and larger sensor in the S95 will allow for faster shu..."

"Hi Randy, I'm recommending the S95, but you should consider its successor the S100. The S100 (and ..."

similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
S95:f/2.0
DMC-FZ38:f/2.8
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Lowest price Very expensive Help
S95:$340.00
DMC-FZ38:$560.83
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
Movie format HD (720p) video Help
S95:720p @ 24fps
DMC-FZ38:720p @ 30fps

dxomark

DXOMark

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Screen flips out Has a screen which flips out
External flash Supports an external flash
Light sensitivity (boost) Lacks boost light sensitivity
Thickness Is thicker
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
Weight Is slightly heavier
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
Lowest price Is slightly more expensive
Supports RAW Doesn't shoot RAW

Canon PowerShot S95 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Sensor size Smaller sensor
Lowest price Slightly more expensive
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$350

Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Battery life Much longer battery life
Supports 24p No 24p support
HDR Lacks in-camera HDR
Olympus XZ-1

Olympus XZ-1

Pro digicam

$499 - $500

Screen type Has an OLED screen
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Overall image quality Significantly worse image quality
Supports 24p No 24p support
Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Sony Cybershot DSC-HX9v

Travel zoom

$319 - $330

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Aperture Much narrower aperture
Supports 24p No 24p support
Nikon Coolpix P300

Nikon Coolpix P300

Pro digicam

$299

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Supports 24p No 24p support
Sensor size Much smaller sensor

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$499 - $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 - $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

appearance

Canon PowerShot S95 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot S95 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot S95 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

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