Panasonic FZ330 vs Leica V-LUX 4

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 (called Panasonic FZ300 in some regions) and the Leica V-LUX 4 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in July 2015 and September 2012. Both the FZ330 and the V-LUX 4 are fixed lens compact cameras that are equipped with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. Both cameras offer a resolution of 12 megapixels.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic FZ330		Leica V-LUX 4
Fixed lens compact camera		Fixed lens compact camera
25-600mm f/2.8		25-600mm f/2.8
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4K/30p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1312k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
12 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
380 shots per battery charge		540 shots per battery charge
132 x 92 x 117 mm, 691 g		125 x 87 x 110 mm, 588 g

Check FZ330 price at
amazon.com
Check V-LUX 4 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 and the Leica V-LUX 4? 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 Panasonic FZ330 and the Leica V-LUX 4 is provided in the side-by-side display below. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three consecutive perspectives from the front, the top, and the back are available. All size dimensions 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 Leica V-LUX 4 is notably smaller (10 percent) than the Panasonic FZ330. Moreover, the V-LUX 4 is markedly lighter (15 percent) than the FZ330. It is worth mentioning in this context that the FZ330 is splash and dust resistant, while the V-LUX 4 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

Concerning battery life, the FZ330 gets 380 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the V-LUX 4 can take 540 images on a single charge of its Leica BP-DC12 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 FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
2.		Leica V-LUX 4	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	117 mm	81 mm	65 mm	534 g	250	n	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	116 mm	74 mm	66 mm	553 g	240	n	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	123 mm	92 mm	108 mm	600 g	380	n	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX 2	124 mm	80 mm	95 mm	520 g	410	n	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 3	124 mm	81 mm	95 mm	540 g	410	n	Dec 2011	949	ebay.com
11.		Leica X-U Typ 113	140 mm	79 mm	88 mm	635 g	450	Y	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 II	129 mm	88 mm	102 mm	813 g	400	Y	Jun 2015	1,299	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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. 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 FZ330 was launched at a markedly lower price (by 37 percent) than the V-LUX 4, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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 more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras 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.

The two cameras under review do not only share the same sensor size, but also offer an identical resolution of 12 megapixels. This similarity in sensor specs implies that both the FZ330 and the V-LUX 4 have the same pixel density, as well as the same pixel size. It should, however, be noted that the FZ330 is much more recent (by 2 years and 9 months) than the V-LUX 4, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time. 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Leica V-LUX 4 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 table below summarizes the physical sensor characteristics and sensor quality findings and compares them across a set of similar 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 FZ330	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
2.		Leica V-LUX 4	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.8	11.1	501	43
3.		Canon G1 X	1.5-inch	14.2	4352	3264	1080/24p	21.7	10.8	644	60
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	1.5-inch	13.0	4160	3120	1080/30p	21.5	10.8	581	58
5.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
6.		Canon SX40	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	19.6	10.9	409	41
7.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
8.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
9.		Leica V-LUX 2	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	321	39
10.		Leica V-LUX 3	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.7	11.0	430	42
11.		Leica X-U Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.8	13.0	1614	80
12.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
13.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
15.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
16.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
17.		Sony RX10 II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	23.0	12.6	531	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. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the FZ330 provides a higher video resolution than the V-LUX 4. It can shoot video footage at 4K/30p, while the Leica is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Beyond body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. The two cameras under consideration are similar with respect to both having an electronic viewfinder. However, the one in the FZ330 offers a slightly higher resolution than the one in the V-LUX 4 (1440k vs 1312k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Panasonic FZ330 and Leica V-LUX 4 in connection with corresponding information for a sample of similar 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 FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Leica V-LUX 4	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G1 X	optical	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/4000s	1.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	optional	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	5.2/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon SX40	202	n	2.7 / 230	swivel	n	1/3200s	10.3/s	Y	Y
7.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
8.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Leica V-LUX 2	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
10.		Leica V-LUX 3	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
11.		Leica X-U Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
12.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic LX5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
17.		Sony RX10 II	2359	Y	3.0 / 1229	tilting	n	1/3200s	14.0/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 FZ330 has a touchscreen, while the V-LUX 4 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 FZ330 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 FZ330 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 FZ330 and the V-LUX 4 have zoom lenses built in. Both optics have identical focal length range and aperture specifications (4.5-108mm f/2.8-2.8). Both cameras offer the same maximum aperture.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the FZ330 and the V-LUX 4 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 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 and Leica V-LUX 4 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 FZ330	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
2.		Leica V-LUX 4	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G1 X	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
6.		Canon SX40	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	YES	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
8.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
9.		Leica V-LUX 2	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
10.		Leica V-LUX 3	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Leica X-U Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
12.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
17.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

It is notable that the FZ330 offers wifi support, while the V-LUX 4 does not. Wifi can be a very convenient means to transfer image data to an off-camera location.

The FZ330 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Panasonic. In contrast, the V-LUX 4 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the V-LUX 4 was succeeded by the Leica V-LUX Typ 114. Further information on the features and operation of the FZ330 and V-LUX 4 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic FZ330 Manual (free pdf) or the online Leica V-LUX 4 Manual.

Review summary

So what is the bottom line? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic FZ330 and the Leica V-LUX 4? Which camera is better? A synthesis of the relative strong points of each of the models is listed below.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330:

• Better video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4K/30p vs 1080/60p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.46x).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• Fewer buttons to press: Is equipped with a touch-sensitive rear screen to facilitate handling.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• More affordable: Was introduced into a lower priced category (37 percent cheaper at launch).
• More modern: Reflects 2 years and 9 months of technical progress since the V-LUX 4 launch.

Reasons to prefer the Leica V-LUX 4:

• More compact: Is smaller (125x87mm vs 132x92mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Less heavy: Has a lower weight (by 103g or 15 percent) and is thus easier to take along.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (540 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
• More prestigious: Has the Leica luxury appeal, which ensures a high resale value.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in September 2012).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the FZ330 is the clear winner of the match-up (10 : 5 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 sports photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a street photog, and a person interested in family portraits has distinct needs from a landscape 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 FZ330 and the Leica V-LUX 4 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 partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the FZ330 or the V-LUX 4. At times, user reviews, such as those published at amazon, address these issues in a useful manner, but such feedback is on many occasions incomplete, inconsistent, and unreliable.

Expert reviews

This is why hands-on reviews by experts are important. The table below provides a synthesis of the camera assessments of some of the best known photo-gear 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 FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
2.		Leica V-LUX 4	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2012	949	ebay.com
3.		Canon G1 X	5/5	+	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jan 2012	799	ebay.com
4.		Canon G1 X Mark II	3/5	+	..	77/100	4/5	4.5/5	Feb 2014	799	ebay.com
5.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
6.		Canon SX40	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Sep 2011	429	ebay.com
7.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
8.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
9.		Leica V-LUX 2	..	..	..	..	..	..	Sep 2010	849	ebay.com
10.		Leica V-LUX 3	..	..	..	..	..	..	Dec 2011	949	ebay.com
11.		Leica X-U Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
12.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
13.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
17.		Sony RX10 II	5/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	1,299	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The review scores listed above should be treated with care, though. The assessments were made in relation to similar cameras of the same technological generation. 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. 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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ebay.com

Other camera comparisons

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just make a corresponding selection in the search boxes 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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