Canon M100 vs Panasonic FZ80

The Canon EOS M100 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 (labelled Panasonic FZ82 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2017 and January 2017. The M100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ80 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (M100) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ80) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 18 MP.

Below is an overview of the main specs of the two cameras as a starting point for the comparison.

Headline Specifications

Canon M100		Panasonic FZ80
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
Canon EF-M mount lenses		20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9
24 MP – APS-C sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
No viewfinder, LCD framing		Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Tilting touchscreen		Fixed touchscreen
6.1 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
295 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
108 x 67 x 35 mm, 302 g		130 x 94 x 119 mm, 616 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS M100 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80? Which one should you buy? Read on to find out how these two cameras compare with respect to their body size, their imaging sensors, their shooting features, their input-output connections, and their reception by expert reviewers.

Body comparison

The side-by-side display below illustrates the physical size and weight of the Canon M100 and the Panasonic FZ80. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive views from the front, the top, and the rear side are shown. All width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The M100 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the FZ80 is only available in black.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic FZ80 is considerably larger (69 percent) than the Canon M100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the M100 nor the FZ80 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ80 has a lens built in, whereas the M100 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the M100 gets 295 shots out of its Canon LP-E12 battery, while the FZ80 can take 330 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BMB9 power pack. The power pack in the FZ80 can be charged via the USB port, which can be very convenient when travelling.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. If you want to switch the focus of the display and review another camera pair, you can move across to the CAM-parator tool and choose from the broad selection of possible camera comparisons there.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	98 mm	58 mm	31 mm	206 g	235	n	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon M	109 mm	66 mm	32 mm	298 g	230	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon M3	111 mm	68 mm	44 mm	366 g	250	n	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	116 mm	89 mm	61 mm	427 g	295	n	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	112 mm	68 mm	45 mm	390 g	295	n	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	301 g	255	n	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	116 mm	88 mm	59 mm	390 g	235	n	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SL2	122 mm	93 mm	70 mm	453 g	650	n	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
14.		Canon T7	129 mm	101 mm	78 mm	475 g	500	n	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	652 g	300	n	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
Note: Measurements and pricing do not include easily detachable parts, such as add-on or interchangeable lenses or optional viewfinders.
Convert to Imperial

Any camera decision will naturally be influenced heavily by the price. The retail prices at the time of the camera’s release place the model in the market relative to other models in the producer’s line-up and the competition. The FZ80 was launched at a lower price than the M100, despite having a lens built in. Normally, street prices remain initially close to the MSRP, but after a couple of months, the first discounts appear. Later in the product cycle and, in particular, when the replacement model is about to appear, further discounting and stock clearance sales often push the camera price considerably down.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels in a sensor of the same technological generation. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon M100 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic FZ80 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ80 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the M100 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the FZ80 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the M100 offers a higher resolution than the FZ80 (18MP), but the M100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.25μm for the FZ80) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the M100 is a somewhat more recent model (by 7 months) than the FZ80, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the FZ80 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Canon M100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the M100 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 30 x 20 inches or 76.2 x 50.8 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 24 x 16 inches or 61 x 40.6 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 20 x 13.3 inches or 50.8 x 33.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic FZ80 are 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm for good quality, 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm for very good quality, and 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm for excellent quality prints.

The M100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS M100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-6400.

In terms of underlying technology, the M100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the FZ80 uses a BSI-CMOS imager. Both cameras use a Bayer filter for capturing RGB colors on a square grid of photosensors. This arrangement is found in most digital cameras.

For many cameras, data on sensor performance has been reported by DXO Mark. This service is based on lab testing and assigns an overall score to each camera sensor, as well as ratings for dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), color depth ("DXO Portrait"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"). The following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
2.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.9	12.5	522	65
4.		Canon M	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.1	11.2	827	65
5.		Canon M3	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	22.8	11.8	1169	72
6.		Canon M5	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.4	1262	77
7.		Canon M6	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.4	12.6	1317	78
8.		Canon M10	APS-C	17.9	5184	3456	1080/30p	22.2	11.4	753	65
9.		Canon M50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/24p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
10.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
11.		Canon SL2	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.6	13.4	1041	79
12.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
13.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
14.		Canon T7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/30p	23.8	13.3	1684	81
15.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
16.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
17.		Sony HX350	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	896	49
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras are not only capable of taking still images, but also of capturing video footage. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the FZ80 provides a better video resolution than the M100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FZ80 has an electronic viewfinder (1166k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the M100 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Canon M100 and Panasonic FZ80 along with similar information for a selection of comparators.

Core Features

		Camera Model	Viewfinder (Type or 000 dots)	Control Panel (yes/no)	LCD Specifications (inch/000 dots)	LCD Attach- ment	Touch Screen (yes/no)	Max Shutter Speed *	Max Shutter Flaps *	Built-in Flash (yes/no)	Built-in Image Stab
1.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	8.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon M	none	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/4000s	4.3/s	n	n
5.		Canon M3	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.2/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M5	2360	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M6	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	9.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon M10	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	4.6/s	Y	n
9.		Canon M50	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
11.		Canon SL2	optical	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Canon T7	optical	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	3.0/s	Y	n
15.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony HX350	202	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

The reported shutter speed information refers to the use of the mechanical shutter. Yet, some cameras only have an electronic shutter, while others have an electronic shutter in addition to a mechanical one. In fact, the FZ80 is one of those camera that have an additional electronic shutter, which makes completely silent shooting possible. However, this mode is less suitable for photographing moving objects (risk of rolling shutter) or shooting under artificial light sources (risk of flickering).

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the M100 and the FZ80 write their files to SDXC cards. Both cameras can use UHS-I cards, which provide for Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s.

Connectivity comparison

For some imaging applications, the extent to which a camera can communicate with its environment can be an important aspect in the camera decision process. The table below provides an overview of the connectivity of the Canon EOS M100 and Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 and, in particular, the interfaces the cameras (and selected comparators) provide for accessory control and data transfer.

Input-Output Connections

		Camera Model	Hotshoe Port	Internal Mic / Speaker	Microphone Port	Headphone Port	HDMI Port	USB Port	WiFi Support	NFC Support	Bluetooth Support
1.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
4.		Canon M	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon M3	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon M5	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M6	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
8.		Canon M10	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
9.		Canon M50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
11.		Canon SL2	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
13.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Canon T7	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
16.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
17.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the FZ80 has a hotshoe, which makes it possible to easily attach optional accessories, such as an external flash gun. The M100 does not feature such an accessory-socket.

Both the M100 and the FZ80 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The M100 was replaced by the Canon M200, while the FZ80 does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the M100 and FZ80 can be found, respectively, in the Canon M100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ80 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Which of the two cameras – the Canon M100 or the Panasonic FZ80 – has the upper hand? Is one clearly better than the other? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Arguments in favor of the Canon EOS M100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 18MP) with a 18% higher linear resolution.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging sensor.
• Richer colors: The sensor size advantage translates into images with better, more accurate colors.
• More dynamic range: Larger sensor captures a wider spectrum of light and dark details.
• Better low-light sensitivity: Larger sensor produces good images even in poorly lit environments.
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More flexible LCD: Has a tilting screen for odd-angle shots in landscape orientation.
• More selfie-friendly: Has an articulated screen that can be turned to be front-facing.
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (108x67mm vs 130x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 7 months after the FZ80).

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 6.1 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the M100 necessitates an extra lens.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (330 versus 295) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• Better lighting: Features a hotshoe and can thus hold and trigger an external flash gun.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in January 2017).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the M100 emerges as the winner of the contest (15 : 12 points). However, the relevance of individual strengths will vary across photographers, so that you might want to apply your own weighing scheme to the summary points when reflecting and deciding on a new camera. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports shooter. Hence, the decision which camera is best and worth buying is often a very personal one.

How about other alternatives? Do the specifications of the Canon M100 and the Panasonic FZ80 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the specs-based evaluation of cameras can be instructive in revealing their potential as photographic tools, it says little about, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance of the M100 and the FZ80 in practical situations. User reviews that are available, for instance, at amazon can sometimes shed light on these issues, but such feedback is all too often partial, inconsistent, and inaccurate.

Expert reviews

This is where reviews by experts come in. The following table reports the overall ratings of the cameras as published by some of the major camera review sites (amateurphotographer [AP], cameralabs [CL], digitalcameraworld [DCW], dpreview [DPR], ephotozine [EPZ], photographyblog [PB]). As can be seen, the professional reviewers agree in many cases on the quality of different cameras, but sometimes their assessments diverge, reinforcing the earlier point that a camera decision is often a very personal choice.

Expert Camera Reviews

		Camera   Model	AP   score	CL   score	DCW   score	DPR   score	EPZ   score	PB   score	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	499	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
3.		Canon G9 X Mark II	4/5	..	4/5	75/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	529	ebay.com
4.		Canon M	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
5.		Canon M3	4/5	o	..	75/100	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2015	679	ebay.com
6.		Canon M5	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2016	979	ebay.com
7.		Canon M6	..	..	..	80/100	4/5	4/5	Feb 2017	779	ebay.com
8.		Canon M10	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Oct 2015	499	ebay.com
9.		Canon M50	..	+	4/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	Feb 2018	779	ebay.com
10.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	549	ebay.com
11.		Canon SL2	4/5	+ +	4/5	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2017	549	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
13.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
14.		Canon T7	..	o	3.5/5	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2018	449	amazon.com
15.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

Care should be taken when interpreting the review scores above, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Thus, a score needs to be put into the context of the launch date and the launch price of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, kindly note that some of the listed sites have over time developped their review approaches and their reporting style.

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Other camera comparisons

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