Updated (July, 2011): Compare the Canon PowerShot SX30 IS vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

60

"Superior noise reduction process of the Venus Engine HD II is applied to make it smoother."
dpreview.com | talking about the DMC-FZ40's iso-noise
"The manual control of FZ45 elevates the operability even higher with the incorporation of new jog dial."
dpreview.com | talking about the DMC-FZ40's button-layout

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

Light sensitivity (boost)
High ISO (boost)
6,400 ISO
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

56

Reasons to buy the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS

Screen flips out
Flip-out screen
Great for movies
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
External flash
External flash
Better lighting
Fastest shutter speed
Fast shutter speed
1/3200 of a second

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
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
Thickness Slightly thinner 3.4" vs 3.6"
Help
Around 10% thinner
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Learn more about
the Canon SX20 IS

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-FZ40

Screen size Much larger screen 3.0" vs 2.5"
Help
More than 20% larger screen
Wide angle Significantly better wide angle 25 mm vs 28 mm
Help
More than 10% better wide angle
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
Zoom More zoom 24x vs 20x
Help
More than 40% 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
Size Smaller 120x79x91 mm vs 128x88x87 mm
Help
Around 10% smaller
Lowest price Much cheaper $410.99 vs $742.23
Help
The best price we've seen is $331 cheaper (more than 40% less)
Weight Lighter 499 g vs 600 g
Help
Around 20% lighter
Longest exposure Much longer exposures 60s vs 15s
Help
4x longer exposures
Continuous shooting Shoots slightly faster 1.8 fps vs 0.7 fps
Help
More than 2.5x faster continuous shooting
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ40
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent super zooms, and ignoring price

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Canon PowerShot SX20 IS
56 vs 60
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
Green arrow Snapsort recommends the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40.

advice

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I am considering either the Canon SX20 IS or the Panasonic DMC-FZ40,
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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-FZ40:24x
Macro focus Good macro capabilities Help
SX20 IS:0 cm
DMC-FZ40:1 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-FZ40:$410.99
Thickness Quite thick Help
SX20 IS:3.4"
DMC-FZ40:3.6"
Weight Heavy Help
SX20 IS:600 g
DMC-FZ40:499 g
Size Large Help
SX20 IS:128x88x87 mm
DMC-FZ40:120x79x91 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
Light sensitivity Poor maximum light sensitivity Help
1,600 ISO
3D Neither camera can take 3D photos Help
No 3d support
Continuous shooting Slow continuous shooting Help
SX20 IS:0.7 fps
DMC-FZ40:1.8 fps
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.

External mic jack Neither has an external mic jack Help
Limited to the in-camera mic
Zoom Poor zoom Help
SX20 IS:20x
DMC-FZ40:24x

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 slightly heavier
Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Canon PowerShot SX30 IS

Super zoom

$420

Zoom Has way more more zoom
Thickness Is thicker
Weight Is slightly heavier
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
Fujifilm FinePix HS20 EXR

Fujifilm FinePix HS20

Super zoom

$299 - $335

Zoom Has significantly 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

Screen resolution Has a much higher resolution screen
Size Is slightly smaller
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Viewfinder Doesn't have a viewfinder
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ35

Super zoom

$400

Weight Is slightly lighter
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Wide angle Has a slightly narrower wide angle lens
Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Fujifilm FinePix S4000

Super zoom

$215

Zoom Has significantly more zoom
Screen resolution Has a slightly higher resolution screen
Fastest shutter speed Has a slower max shutter speed
Thickness Is thicker

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Nikon Coolpix P100

Nikon Coolpix P100

Super zoom

Screen size Much larger screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Image stabilization Worse image stabilization
External flash No external flash support
Canon PowerShot G12

Canon PowerShot G12

Pro digicam

$390 - $496

Supports 24p Supports 24p
Sensor size Much larger sensor
Zoom Significantly less zoom
Macro focus Worse macro capability
Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Canon PowerShot SX1 IS

Super zoom

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Screen size Significantly larger screen
Weight Slightly heavier
Canon ELPH 300 HS

Canon ELPH 300 HS

Compact

$148 - $179

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

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ48

Super zoom

$370 - $426

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Panorama Can create panoramas in-camera
Supports RAW No RAW support
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150

Super zoom

$495 - $500

External mic jack Has an external mic jack
Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Size Slightly larger
Longest exposure Significantly shorter max exposures
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ100

Super zoom

$611

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Movie format Higher resolution movies
Size Slightly larger
Lowest price Significantly more expensive
Leica V-Lux 2

Leica V-Lux 2

Super zoom

$1,101

Screen flips out Has a flip-out screen
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor
Lowest price Much more expensive
Viewfinder No viewfinder

appearance

Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40
Canon PowerShot SX20 IS Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ40

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