Nikon P7800 vs Panasonic FZ80

The Nikon Coolpix P7800 and the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 (labelled Panasonic FZ82 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in September 2013 and January 2017. Both the P7800 and the FZ80 are fixed lens compact cameras that are based on a 1/1.7-inch (P7800) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ80) sensor. The Nikon has a resolution of 12 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

Nikon P7800		Panasonic FZ80
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
28-200mm f/2.0-4.0		20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9
12 MP – 1/1.7" sensor		18 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (921k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1166k dots)
3.0" LCD – 921k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Fixed touchscreen
8 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
350 shots per battery charge		330 shots per battery charge
119 x 78 x 50 mm, 399 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 Nikon Coolpix P7800 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

An illustration of the physical size and weight of the Nikon P7800 and the Panasonic FZ80 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. All width, height and depth measures are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

If the front view area (width x height) of the cameras is taken as an aggregate measure of their size, the Panasonic FZ80 is notably larger (32 percent) than the Nikon P7800. Moreover, the FZ80 is substantially heavier (54 percent) than the P7800. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the P7800 nor the FZ80 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the P7800 gets 350 shots out of its Nikon EN-EL14 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 adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

#		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price (USD)	Street Price
1.		Nikon P7800	119 mm	78 mm	50 mm	399 g	350	n	Sep 2013	549	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ80	130 mm	94 mm	119 mm	616 g	330	n	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	109 mm	76 mm	40 mm	356 g	360	n	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G15	107 mm	76 mm	40 mm	352 g	350	n	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G12	112 mm	76 mm	48 mm	401 g	370	n	Sep 2010	499	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X20	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	353 g	270	n	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X10	117 mm	70 mm	57 mm	350 g	270	n	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus Stylus 1	116 mm	87 mm	57 mm	402 g	410	n	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TS7	117 mm	76 mm	37 mm	319 g	300	Y	May 2018	449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic LF1	103 mm	62 mm	28 mm	192 g	250	n	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	499	ebay.com
16.		Pentax MX-1	122 mm	61 mm	51 mm	391 g	290	n	Jan 2013	499	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 markedly lower price (by 27 percent) than the P7800, which puts it into a different market segment. 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 imaging sensor is at the core of digital cameras and its size is one of the main determining factors 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. Moreover, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more control over depth-of-field in the image and, thus, the ability to better isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Nikon P7800 features a 1/1.7-inch sensor and the Panasonic FZ80 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ80 is 35 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 4.5 and 5.6. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the FZ80 offers a higher resolution of 18 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the P7800. This megapixels advantage comes at the cost of a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.25μm versus 1.89μm for the P7800). However, it should be noted that the FZ80 is much more recent (by 3 years and 4 months) than the P7800, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that make it possible to gather light more efficiently. 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 Panasonic FZ80 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ80 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 24.5 x 18.4 inches or 62.2 x 46.6 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 19.6 x 14.7 inches or 49.7 x 37.3 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 16.3 x 12.2 inches or 41.5 x 31.1 cm. The corresponding values for the Nikon P7800 are 20 x 15 inches or 50.8 x 38.1 cm for good quality, 16 x 12 inches or 40.6 x 30.5 cm for very good quality, and 13.3 x 10 inches or 33.9 x 25.4 cm for excellent quality prints.

The Nikon Coolpix P7800 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 80 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 80-6400. The Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80 offers exactly the same ISO settings.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with BSI-CMOS (Backside Illuminated Complementary Metal–Oxide–Semiconductor) sensors. 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 determines an overall sensor rating, as well as sub-scores for low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and color depth ("DXO Portrait"). 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.		Nikon P7800	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	21.2	11.7	200	54
2.		Panasonic FZ80	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	4K/30p	20.5	11.9	900	49
3.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
4.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
5.		Canon G16	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	21.0	11.7	230	54
6.		Canon G15	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.9	11.5	165	46
7.		Canon G12	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/24p	20.4	11.2	161	47
8.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
9.		Fujifilm X20	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.1	10.9	-462	46
10.		Fujifilm X10	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.5	11.3	245	50
11.		Olympus Stylus 1	1/1.7	11.8	3968	2976	1080/30p	20.7	11.6	179	51
12.		Panasonic TS7	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1028	51
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
14.		Panasonic LF1	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60i	20.8	11.6	211	52
15.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
16.		Pentax MX-1	1/1.7	12.0	4000	3000	1080/30p	20.4	11.3	208	49
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 can also record movies. 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 P7800. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Nikon is limited to 1080/30p.

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the FZ80 offers a higher resolution than the one in the P7800 (1166k vs 921k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Nikon P7800, the Panasonic FZ80, and comparable cameras.

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.		Nikon P7800	921	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Panasonic FZ80	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G15	optical	n	3.0 / 922	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.1/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon G12	optical	n	2.8 / 461	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.1/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Fujifilm X20	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Fujifilm X10	optical	n	2.8 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Olympus Stylus 1	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	7.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic TS7	1170	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/1300s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic LF1	200	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Pentax MX-1	none	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/8000s	1.0/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.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The FZ80 has a touchscreen, while the P7800 has a conventional panel. Touch control can be particularly helpful, for example, for setting the focus point.

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).

The Nikon P7800 has an intervalometer built-in. This enables the photographer to capture time lapse sequences, such as flower blooming, a sunset or moon rise, without purchasing an external camera trigger and related software.

Both the P7800 and the FZ80 have zoom lenses built in. The P7800 has a 28-200mm f/2.0-4.0 optic and the FZ80 offers a 20-1200mm f/2.8-5.9 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Panasonic provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Nikon. The P7800 offers the faster maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the P7800 and the FZ80 write their files to SDXC cards. The FZ80 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the P7800 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD cards.

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 Nikon Coolpix P7800 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.		Nikon P7800	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Panasonic FZ80	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
5.		Canon G16	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Canon G15	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon G12	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Fujifilm X20	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Fujifilm X10	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Olympus Stylus 1	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
12.		Panasonic TS7	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Panasonic LF1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Pentax MX-1	-	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the P7800 has a microphone port, which is missing on the FZ80. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

Both the P7800 and the FZ80 have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. Neither of the two has a direct successor, so they represent the end of the respective camera lines from Nikon and Panasonic. Further information on the features and operation of the P7800 and FZ80 can be found, respectively, in the Nikon P7800 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ80 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is the Nikon P7800 better than the Panasonic FZ80 or vice versa? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Reasons to prefer the Nikon Coolpix P7800:

• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or 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.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better light gathering: Has a lens with a wider maximum aperture (f/2.0 vs f/2.8).
• More compact: Is smaller (119x78mm vs 130x94mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 217g or 35 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in September 2013).

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DC-FZ80:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (18 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 22%.
• 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 1080/30p).
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (1166k vs 921k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 921k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (10 vs 8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Wider view: Has a wider-angle lens that facilitates landscape or interior shots.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (27 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 3 years and 4 months of technical progress since the P7800 launch.

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the FZ80 is the clear winner of the contest (15 : 10 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wedding photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a travel photog, and a person interested in cityscapes has distinct needs from a macro 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 Nikon P7800 and the Panasonic FZ80 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Travel-Zoom Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the P7800 or the FZ80. User reviews, such as those found at amazon, can sometimes inform about these issues, but such feedback is often incomplete, inconsistent, and biased.

Expert reviews

This is why expert reviews are important. 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.		Nikon P7800	3/5	..	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2013	549	ebay.com
2.		Panasonic FZ80	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	399	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	399	amazon.com
4.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	399	ebay.com
5.		Canon G16	4/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2013	549	ebay.com
6.		Canon G15	4/5	+	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	499	ebay.com
7.		Canon G12	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2010	499	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Fujifilm X20	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	5/5	Jan 2013	599	ebay.com
10.		Fujifilm X10	..	..	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2011	599	ebay.com
11.		Olympus Stylus 1	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2013	699	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic TS7	..	+	..	..	..	3.5/5	May 2018	449	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic LF1	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2013	499	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	499	ebay.com
16.		Pentax MX-1	3/5	..	..	74/100	4/5	4/5	Jan 2013	499	ebay.com
17.		Sony HX350	..	..	..	..	..	4/5	Dec 2016	449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. Hence, a score should always be seen in the context of the camera's market launch date and its price, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. Also, please note that some of the review sites have changed their methodology and reporting over time.

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Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? In case you would like to check on the differences and similarities of other camera models, just use the search menu below. As an alternative, you can also directly jump to any one of the listed comparisons that were previously generated by the CAM-parator tool.

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