Panasonic FZ2000 vs Canon XC10

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 (called Panasonic FZ2500 in some regions) and the Canon XC10 are two digital cameras that were announced, respectively, in September 2016 and April 2015. Both the FZ2000 and the XC10 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with an one-inch sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 20 megapixels, whereas the Canon provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic FZ2000		Canon XC10
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
24-480mm f/2.8-4.5		24-240mm f/2.8-5.6
20 MP – 1" sensor		12 MP – 1" sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 125-12,800 (80 - 25,600)		ISO 160-20,000
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1030k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Tilting touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		3.8 shutter flaps per second
350 shots per battery charge		370 shots per battery charge
138 x 102 x 135 mm, 915 g		125 x 102 x 122 mm, 1040 g

Check FZ2000 price at
amazon.com
Check XC10 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 and the Canon XC10? 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 FZ2000 and the Canon XC10. 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 Canon XC10 is notably smaller (9 percent) than the Panasonic FZ2000. However, the XC10 is markedly heavier (14 percent) than the FZ2000. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the FZ2000 nor the XC10 are weather-sealed.

Concerning battery life, the FZ2000 gets 350 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the XC10 can take 370 images on a single charge of its Canon LP-E6N power pack. The power pack in the XC10 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. 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	Street Price
1.		Panasonic FZ2000	138 mm	102 mm	135 mm	915 g	350	n	Sep 2016	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
2.		Canon XC10	125 mm	102 mm	122 mm	1040 g	370	n	Apr 2015	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	112 mm	76 mm	44 mm	353 g	210	n	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	103 mm	60 mm	40 mm	304 g	210	n	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	106 mm	61 mm	42 mm	319 g	265	n	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100F	127 mm	75 mm	52 mm	469 g	390	n	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Kodak AZ901	139 mm	104 mm	119 mm	777 g	400	n	Jan 2016	US$ 499	amazon.com
10.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	830 g	360	n	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	136 mm	97 mm	131 mm	810 g	350	n	Feb 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	115 mm	66 mm	65 mm	392 g	300	n	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TZ90	112 mm	67 mm	41 mm	322 g	380	n	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	298 g	280	n	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	102 mm	58 mm	41 mm	299 g	220	n	Oct 2016	US$ 999	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 FZ2000 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 52 percent) than the XC10, which puts it into a different 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 an one-inch sensor, but their sensors differ slightly in size. The sensor area in the XC10 is 6 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have format factors, respectively, of 2.7 (FZ2000) and 2.75. The sensor in the FZ2000 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the XC10 offers a 4:3 aspect.

Despite having a smaller sensor, the Panasonic FZ2000 offers a higher resolution of 20 megapixels, compared with 12 MP of the Canon XC10. 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 2.41μm versus 3.20μm for the XC10). However, it should be noted that the FZ2000 is a somewhat more recent model (by 1 year and 5 months) than the XC10, and its sensor might have benefitted from technological advances during this time that partly offset its pixel-size disadvantage.

The resolution advantage of the Panasonic FZ2000 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the FZ2000 for good quality output (200 dots per inch) amounts to 27.4 x 18.2 inches or 69.5 x 46.3 cm, for very good quality (250 dpi) 21.9 x 14.6 inches or 55.6 x 37.1 cm, and for excellent quality (300 dpi) 18.2 x 12.2 inches or 46.3 x 30.9 cm. The corresponding values for the Canon XC10 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-FZ2000 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 125 to ISO 12800, which can be extended to ISO 80-25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Canon XC10 are ISO 160 to ISO 20000 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the FZ2000 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the XC10 uses a 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 FZ2000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	538	70
2.		Canon XC10	1-inch	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	21.7	11.8	197	61
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
4.		Canon G5 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	471	62
5.		Canon G7 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	23.0	12.7	556	71
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.8	11.9	260	62
7.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
8.		Fujifilm X100F	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.9	13.2	1704	81
9.		Kodak AZ901	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/30p	20.3	11.7	806	48
10.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	21.6	11.7	127	60
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	12.4	546	65
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	Four Thirds	16.8	4736	3552	4K/30p	22.8	12.7	979	72
14.		Panasonic TZ90	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	19.1	10.6	106	36
15.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	70
16.		Sony RX100 IV	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.6	591	70
17.		Sony RX100 V	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.8	12.4	586	70
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 (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a variety of features. For example, the FZ2000 has an electronic viewfinder (2360k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the XC10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The following table reports on some other key feature differences and similarities of the Panasonic FZ2000, the Canon XC10, 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 FZ2000	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Canon XC10	none	n	3.0 / 1030	tilting	Y	1/2000s	3.8/s	n	Y
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	6.5/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	8.0/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X100F	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	8.0/s	Y	n
9.		Kodak AZ901	202	n	3.0 / 920	swivel	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	2360	n	3.0 / 1240	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	2764	n	3.0 / 1240	fixed	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
14.		Panasonic TZ90	1166	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Sony RX100 IV	2359	n	3.0 / 1228	tilting	n	1/2000s	16.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Sony RX100 V	2359	n	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/2000s	24.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

One difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The FZ2000 has one, while the XC10 does not. While the built-in flash of the FZ2000 is not very powerful, it can at times be useful as a fill-in light.

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 FZ2000 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 Panasonic FZ2000 and the Canon XC10 both have 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 FZ2000 and the XC10 have zoom lenses built in. The FZ2000 has a 24-480mm f/2.8-4.5 optic and the XC10 offers a 24-240mm f/2.8-5.6 (focal lengths in full frame equivalent terms). Hence, the Panasonic and Canon provide the same view at the wide-angle end, but the Canon has less tele-photo reach at the long end. Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

The FZ2000 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the XC10 uses CFast or SDXC cards. The XC10 features dual card slots, which can be very useful in case a memory card fails. In contrast, the FZ2000 only has one slot. 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000 and Canon XC10 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 FZ2000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Canon XC10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G5 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G7 X	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
7.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Fujifilm X100F	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Kodak AZ901	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
10.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic TZ90	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
15.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
16.		Sony RX100 IV	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX100 V	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

The FZ2000 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the XC10 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the XC10 was succeeded by the Canon XC15. Further information on the features and operation of the FZ2000 and XC10 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic FZ2000 Manual (free pdf) or the online Canon XC10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is the Panasonic FZ2000 better than the Canon XC10 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Reasons to prefer the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ2000:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (20 vs 12MP) with a 32% higher linear resolution.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• 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.
• Faster burst: Shoots at higher frequency (12 vs 3.8 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• More tele-reach: Has a longer tele-lens for perspective compression and subject magnification.
• Less heavy: Is lighter (by 125g or 12 percent) and hence easier to carry around.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (52 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Is somewhat more recent (announced 1 year and 5 months after the XC10).

Arguments in favor of the Canon XC10:

• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Easier device pairing: Supports NFC for fast wireless image transfer over short distances.
• Greater peace of mind: Features a second card slot as a backup in case of memory card failure.
• More heavily discounted: Has been on the market for longer (launched in April 2015).

If the count of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a measure, the FZ2000 is the clear winner of the match-up (12 : 4 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 FZ2000 and the Canon XC10 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 FZ2000 or the XC10 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	Street Price
1.		Panasonic FZ2000	..	+	..	82/100	4.5/5	5/5	Sep 2016	US$ 1 199	amazon.com
2.		Canon XC10	..	..	..	80/100	..	..	Apr 2015	US$ 2 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	US$ 799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X	5/5	+ +	..	78/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Oct 2015	US$ 799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X	4/5	+ +	..	77/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 699	ebay.com
6.		Canon G7 X Mark II	4.5/5	+ +	..	81/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2016	US$ 699	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X100F	5/5	+	3.9/5	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jan 2017	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
9.		Kodak AZ901	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	3/5	Jan 2016	US$ 499	amazon.com
10.		Leica V-LUX Typ 114	..	..	..	..	..	5/5	Sep 2014	US$ 1 349	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	US$ 899	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ1000 II	..	..	..	83/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Feb 2019	US$ 899	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic LX100 II	4.5/5	+	4.2/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2018	US$ 999	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic TZ90	..	+ +	4/5	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 449	ebay.com
15.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	US$ 1 299	ebay.com
16.		Sony RX100 IV	4.5/5	+ +	..	85/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jun 2015	US$ 999	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX100 V	4.5/5	+ +	..	83/100	4/5	4.5/5	Oct 2016	US$ 999	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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