Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

63

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Movie format
Full HD
1080p @ 30fps
Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Sensor type
CMOS Sensor
Better in low light
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
External flash
External flash
Better lighting
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

55

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Size
Really small
Prosumer size 118x76x89 mm
External mic jack
External mic jack
Record higher quality audio with a microphone
Battery life
Great battery life
470 shots
Weight
Light-weight
367 g
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX1 IS

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
Movie format Higher resolution movies 1080p @ 30fps vs 720p @ 30fps
Help
Shoots higher resolution Full HD (1080p) video
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor CMOS vs CCD
Help
CMOS-family sensors often produce better quality images
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
Zoom Slightly more zoom 20x vs 18x
Help
More than 20% more zoom
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 4 fps vs 2.3 fps
Help
More than 70% faster continuous shooting
Macro focus Better macro capability 0 cm vs 1 cm
Help
Almost the same
True resolution Slightly higher true resolution 9.8 MP vs 9.8 MP
Help
Almost the same
Fastest shutter speed Significantly faster max shutter speed 1/3200s vs 1/2000s
Help
Around 40% faster max shutter speed
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX1 IS

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
Size Smaller 118x76x89 mm vs 128x88x88 mm
Help
Around 20% smaller
Wide angle Better wide angle 27 mm vs 28 mm
Help
Almost the same
Weight Significantly lighter 367 g vs 615 g
Help
More than 40% lighter
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
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ38
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Canon PowerShot SX1 IS
63 vs 55
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Canon PowerShot SX1 IS.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
f/2.8
Supports RAW RAW support Help
Better editing
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX1 IS:20x
DMC-FZ38:18x
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX1 IS:0 cm
DMC-FZ38:1 cm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Thickness Quite thick Help
3.5"
Weight Heavy Help
SX1 IS:615 g
DMC-FZ38:367 g
Size Large Help
SX1 IS:128x88x88 mm
DMC-FZ38:118x76x89 mm
Panorama Neither camera stitches together panoramas Help
You could stitch photos in post
HDR Neither has in-camera HDR Help
You could do HDR manually
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
1,600 ISO
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Screen resolution Low resolution screens Help
230k dots
Screen size Very small screens Help
SX1 IS:2.8"
DMC-FZ38:2.7"

Compared to recent super zooms

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses

Snapsort is not aware of any interesting strengths shared by these two products.

Zoom Poor zoom Help
SX1 IS:20x
DMC-FZ38:18x
Wide angle Poor wide angle Help
SX1 IS:28 mm
DMC-FZ38:27 mm

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$495 - $500

Zoom Has slightly more zoom
Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Weight Is slightly heavier
Fujifilm FinePix HS22 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS22

Super zoom

Zoom Has much more zoom
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Fujifilm FinePix HS11

Fujifilm FinePix HS11

Super zoom

Zoom Has much more zoom
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is much heavier
Canon Powershot SX40

Canon Powershot SX40

Super zoom

$347 - $380

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is significantly heavier
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $215

Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Screen size Has a slightly larger screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Super zoom

$742

Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Weight Is significantly heavier
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Wide angle Has a significantly wider wide angle lens
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Fujifilm FinePix HS33 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS33 EXR

Super zoom

Zoom Significantly more zoom
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Size Much larger
Image stabilization Worse image stabilization
Fujifilm Finepix X10

Fujifilm Finepix X10

Pro digicam

$599

Sensor size Much larger sensor
Aperture Significantly wider aperture
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Zoom Much more zoom
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Movie format Lower resolution movies
Sensor type Has a CCD-family sensor

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
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
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 SX1 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

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