Updated (January, 2012): Compare the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25

51

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25

Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

51

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS

Size
Really small
Super compact 86x55x22 mm
Weight
Light-weight
120 g
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Tunnel

differences

Advantages of the Canon SD1200 IS

Aperture Wider aperture f/2.8 vs f/3.3
Help
At its widest zoom, the SD1200 IS's lens captures marginally more light (0.5 f-stops)
Size Significantly smaller 86x55x22 mm vs 99x56x27 mm
Help
More than 30% smaller
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Tunnel vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Macro focus Better macro capability 3 cm vs 5 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 40% closer to the lens
Thickness Thinner 0.9" vs 1.1"
Help
More than 20% thinner
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Weight Lighter 120 g vs 135 g
Help
More than 10% lighter
Sensor size Slightly larger sensor 1/2.3" 6.2x4.6mm vs 1/2.3" 6.1x4.6mm
Help
Almost the same
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Learn more about
the Canon SD1200 IS

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-FH25

Wide angle Much better wide angle 28 mm vs 35 mm
Help
20% better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies 720p @ 30fps vs 480p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots high resolution HD (720p) video
Screen size Larger screen 2.7" vs 2.5"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Zoom More zoom 8x vs 3x
Help
More than 7x more zoom
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
Fastest shutter speed Faster max shutter speed 1/1600s vs 1/1500s
Help
Around 10% faster max shutter speed
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FH25
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent compacts, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS
51 vs 51
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25
Green arrow Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a compact with a travel zoom.

advice

Need help deciding?

Ask the community!

I am considering either the Canon SD1200 IS or the Panasonic DMC-FH25,
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:

similarities

Compared to recent compacts

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Weight Light weight Help
SD1200 IS:120 g
DMC-FH25:135 g
Fastest shutter speed Slow max shutter speed Help
SD1200 IS:1/1500s
DMC-FH25:1/1600s
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
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
1,600 ISO
Screen size Very small screens Help
SD1200 IS:2.5"
DMC-FH25:2.7"
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Movie format Poor movies Help
SD1200 IS:480p @ 30fps
DMC-FH25:720p @ 30fps
Wide angle Poor wide angle Help
SD1200 IS:35 mm
DMC-FH25:28 mm

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon ELPH 100 HS

Canon ELPH 100 HS

Compact

$106 - $189

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS10

Travel zoom

$328

Zoom Has much more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Thickness Is thicker
Canon ELPH 310 HS

Canon ELPH 310 HS

Travel zoom

$195 - $196

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Canon PowerShot A3300 IS

Compact

$129

Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Weight Is slightly heavier
Size Is slightly larger
Nikon Coolpix S3100

Nikon Coolpix S3100

Ultra compact

$132

Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Light sensitivity Slightly higher maximum light sensitivity
Longest exposure Slightly shorter exposures
Macro focus Much worse macro focusing

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Canon PowerShot SD1300 IS

Compact

$178

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Screen size Larger screen
Viewfinder No viewfinder
Size Slightly larger
Canon PowerShot A1300

Canon PowerShot A1300

Compact

$109 - $119

Wide angle Much better wide angle
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Size Significantly larger
Weight Significantly heavier
Canon PowerShot S95

Canon PowerShot S95

Pro digicam

$340 - $389

Sensor size Much larger sensor
Wide angle Much better wide angle
Size Significantly larger
Viewfinder No viewfinder

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27

Travel zoom

$189

Screen size Significantly larger screen
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Weight Heavier
Lowest price More expensive
Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS8

Travel zoom

$161 - $271

Zoom Significantly more zoom
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Size Larger
Weight Much heavier
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH8

Compact

$149

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Zoom Less zoom
True resolution Lower true resolution
Sony Cybershot DSC-W570

Sony Cybershot W570

Ultra compact

$135

Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Size Significantly smaller
Zoom Less zoom
Battery life Shorter battery life
Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1

Panasonic Lumix DMC-SZ1

Travel zoom

$179

Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Screen size Significantly larger screen
True resolution Lower true resolution
Longest exposure Much shorter max exposures

appearance

Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25
Canon PowerShot SD1200 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH25

discussion

Showing 0 comments