Panasonic FZ150 vs Sony HX400V

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in August 2011 and February 2014. Both the FZ150 and the HX400V are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 20.2 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic FZ150		Sony HX400V
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-600mm f/2.8-5.2		24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		20.2 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
1080/60p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)		ISO 80-3,200 (80 - 12,800)
Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (210k dots)
3.0" LCD – 460k dots		3.0" LCD – 921k dots
Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)		Tilting screen (no touchscreen)
12 shutter flaps per second		10 shutter flaps per second
410 shots per battery charge		300 shots per battery charge
124 x 82 x 92 mm, 528 g		130 x 93 x 103 mm, 660 g

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Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 and the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V? 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 Panasonic FZ150 and the Sony HX400V. 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 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 Sony HX400V is notably larger (19 percent) than the Panasonic FZ150. Moreover, the HX400V is markedly heavier (25 percent) than the FZ150. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the FZ150 nor the HX400V are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the FZ150 gets 410 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BMB9 battery, while the HX400V can take 300 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-BX1 power pack.

The adjacent table lists the principal physical characteristics of the two cameras alongside a wider set of alternatives. If you would like to visualize and compare a different camera combination, you can navigate to the CAM-parator app and make your selection from a broad list of cameras 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.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX400V	130 mm	93 mm	103 mm	660 g	300	n	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX30	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	601 g	370	n	Sep 2010	429	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 4	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic ZS70	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
13.		Sony H300	128 mm	89 mm	92 mm	590 g	350	n	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
14.		Sony H400	130 mm	95 mm	122 mm	628 g	300	n	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX90V	102 mm	58 mm	36 mm	245 g	360	n	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
16.		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 manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. The two cameras under review were launched at the same price and fall into the same market segment. Usually, retail prices stay at first close to the launch price, but after several months, discounts become available. 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 tend to have larger individual pixels that provide better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and richer color-depth than smaller pixel-units in a sensor of the same technological generation. Furthermore, a large sensor camera will give the photographer more possibilities to use shallow depth-of-field in order to isolate a subject from the background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be associated with larger, more expensive camera bodies and lenses.

Both cameras under consideration feature a 1/2.3-inch sensor and have a format factor (sometimes also referred to as "crop factor") of 5.6. Within the spectrum of camera sensors, this places the review cameras among the smaller-sensor digicams that favor affordability and compact design. Both cameras feature a native aspect ratio (sensor width to sensor height) of 4:3.

While the two cameras under review share the same sensor size, the HX400V offers a higher resolution of 20.2 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the FZ150. This megapixels advantage translates into a 30 percent gain in linear resolution. On the other hand, these sensor specs imply that the HX400V has a higher pixel density and a smaller size of the individual pixel (with a pixel pitch of 1.18μm versus 1.53μm for the FZ150). However, it should be noted that the HX400V is much more recent (by 2 years and 5 months) than the FZ150, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that compensate for the smaller pixel size. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that neither of the two cameras has an anti-alias filter installed, so they are able to capture all the detail the sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony HX400V implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the HX400V for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 25.9 x 19.4 inches or 65.8 x 49.4 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 20.7 x 15.6 inches or 52.7 x 39.5 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 17.3 x 13 inches or 43.9 x 32.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Panasonic FZ150 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 3200, which can be extended to ISO 100-6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V are ISO 80 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 80-12800.

In terms of underlying technology, the FZ150 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the HX400V 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 assesses and scores the color depth ("DXO Portrait"), dynamic range ("DXO Landscape"), and low-light sensitivity ("DXO Sports") of camera sensors, and also publishes an overall camera score. The adjacent table reports on the physical sensor characteristics and the outcomes of the DXO sensor quality tests for a sample of comparator-cameras.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
2.		Sony HX400V	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.1	11.4	629	45
3.		Canon SX30	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	720/30p	19.4	10.7	320	39
4.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
5.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
6.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
7.		Leica V-LUX 4	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.8	11.1	501	43
8.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
9.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
10.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
11.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
12.		Panasonic ZS70	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
13.		Sony H300	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
14.		Sony H400	1/2.3	19.9	5152	3864	720/30p	20.1	11.4	630	45
15.		Sony HX90V	1/2.3	18.0	4896	3672	1080/60p	20.2	11.6	738	47
16.		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. Both cameras under consideration are equipped with sensors that have a sufficiently high read-out speed for moving images, and both provide the same movie specifications (1080/60p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. The two cameras under review are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the HX400V offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the FZ150 (210k vs 202k dots). The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic FZ150, the Sony HX400V, 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.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony HX400V	210	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/4000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon SX30	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	0.6/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
7.		Leica V-LUX 4	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Panasonic LX5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic ZS70	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Sony H300	none	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/1500s	0.8/s	Y	Y
14.		Sony H400	210	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/2000s	0.7/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony HX90V	638	n	3.0 / 921	tilting	n	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
16.		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.

Both the FZ150 and the HX400V have zoom lenses built in. The FZ150 has a 25-600mm f/2.8-5.2 optic and the HX400V offers a 24-1200mm f/2.8-6.3 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Sony provides a wider angle of view at the short end, as well as more tele-photo reach at the long end than the Panasonic. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The FZ150 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the HX400V uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 and Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V 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.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
2.		Sony HX400V	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon SX30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
5.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
6.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Leica V-LUX 4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic ZS70	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
13.		Sony H300	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
14.		Sony H400	-	mono / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony HX90V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony HX350	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	-	-	-

It is notable that the HX400V offers wifi support, which can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location. In contrast, the FZ150 does not provide wifi capability.

Travel and landscape photographers will find it useful that the HX400V has an internal geolocalization sensor and can record GPS coordinates in its EXIF data.

Both the FZ150 and the HX400V have been discontinued, but can regularly be found used on ebay. The FZ150 was replaced by the Panasonic FZ200, while the HX400V does not have a direct successor. Further information on the features and operation of the FZ150 and HX400V can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic FZ150 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony HX400V Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic FZ150 better than the Sony HX400V or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150:

• 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 burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 10 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• More compact: Is smaller (124x82mm vs 130x93mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 132g or 20 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Longer lasting: Can take more shots (410 versus 300) on a single battery charge.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in August 2011).

Arguments in favor of the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX400V:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (20.2 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 30%.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (921k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• 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 geotagging: Features an internal GPS sensor to log localization data.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 5 months of technical progress since the FZ150 launch.

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the HX400V emerges as the winner of the match-up (9 : 7 points). However, the relative importance of the various individual camera aspects will vary according to personal preferences and needs, so that you might like to apply corresponding weights to the particular features before making a decision on a new camera. 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 Panasonic FZ150 and the Sony HX400V place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera listing 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the FZ150 or the HX400V perform in practice. 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 why hands-on reviews by experts 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.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
2.		Sony HX400V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Feb 2014	499	ebay.com
3.		Canon SX30	3/5	+ +	..	..	3.5/5	4/5	Sep 2010	429	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
5.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	429	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
7.		Leica V-LUX 4	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	499	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic ZS70	..	+ +	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	449	ebay.com
13.		Sony H300	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Feb 2014	219	ebay.com
14.		Sony H400	..	o	..	..	3.5/5	3.5/5	Feb 2014	319	ebay.com
15.		Sony HX90V	4/5	+ +	..	..	4/5	4.5/5	Apr 2015	429	ebay.com
16.		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 were established in reference to similarly priced cameras that were available in the market at the time of the review. A score, therefore, has to be seen in close connection to the price and market introduction time of the camera, and comparisons of ratings among very different cameras or across long time periods have little meaning. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

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Other camera comparisons

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