Updated (September, 2010): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

56

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
External flash
External flash
Better lighting
Fastest shutter speed
Fast shutter speed
1/3200 of a second
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

55

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
Weight
Light-weight
367 g
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

Advantages of the Canon SX20 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
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
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 SX20 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX20 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
Screen size Larger screen 2.7" vs 2.5"
Help
Around 10% larger screen
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
Size Smaller 118x76x89 mm vs 128x88x87 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 600 g
Help
Around 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
Continuous shooting Shoots faster 2.3 fps vs 0.7 fps
Help
Around 3.5x faster continuous shooting
Lowest price Significantly cheaper $560.83 vs $742.23
Help
The best price we've seen is $181 cheaper (more than 20% less)
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 SX20 IS Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
56 vs 55
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Green arrow Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Aperture Wide aperture Help
f/2.8
Zoom Great zoom Help
SX20 IS:20x
DMC-FZ38:18x
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX20 IS:0 cm
DMC-FZ38:1 cm
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Viewfinder Both have digital viewfinders Help
Digital
Lowest price Very expensive Help
SX20 IS:$742.23
DMC-FZ38:$560.83
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX20 IS:3.4"
DMC-FZ38:3.5"
Weight Heavy Help
SX20 IS:600 g
DMC-FZ38:367 g
Size Large Help
SX20 IS:128x88x87 mm
DMC-FZ38:118x76x89 mm
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
Screen size Very small screens Help
SX20 IS:2.5"
DMC-FZ38:2.7"
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
Movie format Both shoot high resolution HD movies Help
720p @ 30fps

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
SX20 IS:20x
DMC-FZ38:18x
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
SX20 IS:0.7 fps
DMC-FZ38:2.3 fps
Wide angle Poor wide angle Help
SX20 IS:28 mm
DMC-FZ38:27 mm

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
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $215

Wide angle Has a slightly wider wide angle lens
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28

Super zoom

$136 - $151

Lowest price Is much less expensive
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Nikon Coolpix P100

Nikon Coolpix P100

Super zoom

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon EOS 550D

Canon EOS 550D

Entry-level DSLR

$704 - $916 body only

$731 - $874 with 18-55mm lens

Movie format Records higher quality movies
Screen size Has a significantly larger screen
Lowest price Is significantly more expensive
Weight Is slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Screen size Has a slightly larger screen
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Battery life Has a slightly shorter battery life
Zoom Has significantly less zoom
Nikon Coolpix P500

Nikon Coolpix P500

Super zoom

$300

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Zoom Much more zoom
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle
Size Larger
Thickness Thicker
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Super zoom

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon IXUS 220 HS

Canon IXUS 220 HS

Compact

$185 - $242

Size Much smaller
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen flips out Screen does not flip out
Zoom Significantly less zoom

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
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 SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

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