Updated (January, 2011): Compare the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38

40

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
Supports RAW
Shoots RAW
Better editing
Viewfinder
Great viewfinder
Digital
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10

40

Reasons to buy the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10

Size
Really small
Compact 103x60x33 mm
Thickness
Thin
1.3"
Weight
Light-weight
218 g
GPS
Built-in GPS
Great for travel
Longest exposure
Long exposures
60 seconds

differences

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
Aperture Wider aperture f/2.8 vs f/3.3
Help
At its widest zoom, the DMC-FZ38's lens captures marginally more light (0.5 f-stops)
Zoom More zoom 18x vs 12x
Help
Around 2.5x more zoom
Supports RAW Shoots RAW Yes vs No
Help
Digitally develop your own photos with precise image control
Viewfinder Has a viewfinder Digital vs None
Help
A viewfinder can help save battery life by keeping the screen turned off
Macro focus Better macro capability 1 cm vs 3 cm
Help
Focus on subjects 3x closer to the lens
Lowest price Cheaper $560.83 vs $649.97
Help
The best price we've seen is $89 cheaper (more than 10% less)
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-FZ38

Advantages of the Panasonic DMC-TZ10

Size Significantly smaller 103x60x33 mm vs 118x76x89 mm
Help
3.9x smaller
Screen size Significantly larger screen 3.0" vs 2.7"
Help
More than 10% larger screen
Wide angle Better wide angle 25 mm vs 27 mm
Help
Around 10% better wide angle
Screen resolution Higher resolution screen 460k dots vs 230k dots
Help
2x higher resolution screen
GPS Has a GPS Yes vs No
Help
Automatically geotags your photos when traveling
Thickness Much thinner 1.3" vs 3.5"
Help
2.7x thinner
Weight Lighter 218 g vs 367 g
Help
More than 40% lighter
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 Learn more about
the Panasonic DMC-TZ10
vs

recommendations

Relative to the best recent digicams, and ignoring price

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38
40 vs 40
Explain scores
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10
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 super zoom with a travel zoom.

advice

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similarities

Compared to recent digicams

Common Strengths Common Weaknesses
Image stabilization Good image stabilization Help
Lens
Longest exposure Very long exposure times Help
60 seconds
Lowest price Very expensive Help
DMC-FZ38:$560.83
DMC-TZ10:$649.97
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
Touch screen No touchscreens Help
More buttons
Movie format Both shoot high resolution HD movies Help
720p @ 30fps

competitors

Shared Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ30

Panasonic Lumix TZ30

Travel zoom

$434 - $474

Movie format Records higher quality movies
High-speed framerate Records high-speed movies
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Battery life Has a much shorter battery life
Canon Powershot S100

Canon Powershot S100

Pro digicam

$356 - $430

Aperture Has a significantly wider aperture
Movie format Records higher quality movies
Longest exposure Much shorter exposures
Battery life Has a much shorter battery life

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
Nikon Coolpix L120

Nikon Coolpix L120

Super zoom

$180 - $215

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-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-TZ10 Competitors

Advantages

Disadvantages

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ20

Travel zoom

$273 - $386

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Touch screen Has a touch screen
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18

Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ18

Travel zoom

$272 - $305

Zoom More zoom
Wide angle Better wide angle
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
GPS No built-in GPS
Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ25

Panasonic Lumix TZ25

Travel zoom

$337 - $402

Movie format Higher resolution movies
3D Takes 3D photos
GPS No built-in GPS
Longest exposure Much shorter max exposures
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5v

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX5v

Travel zoom

Movie format Higher resolution movies
Sensor type Has a CMOS-family sensor
Screen resolution Lower resolution screen
True resolution Significantly lower true resolution
Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX5

Pro digicam

$339

Aperture Much wider aperture
Sensor size Much larger sensor
GPS No built-in GPS
Zoom Less zoom

appearance

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10
Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ38 Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ10

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