Panasonic FZ330 vs Sony ZV-E10

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 (called Panasonic FZ300 in some regions) and the Sony ZV-E10 are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in July 2015 and July 2021. The FZ330 is a fixed lens compact, while the ZV-E10 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. The cameras are based on a 1/2.3-inch (FZ330) and an APS-C (ZV-E10) sensor. The Panasonic has a resolution of 12 megapixels, whereas the Sony provides 24 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Panasonic FZ330		Sony ZV-E10
Fixed lens compact camera		Mirrorless system camera
25-600mm f/2.8		Sony E mount lenses
12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor		24 MP – APS-C sensor
4K/30p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-6,400		ISO 100-32,000 (100 - 51,200)
Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)		No viewfinder, LCD framing
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 922k dots
Swivel touchscreen		Swivel touchscreen
12 shutter flaps per second		11 shutter flaps per second
Weathersealed body		not weather sealed
380 shots per battery charge		440 shots per battery charge
132 x 92 x 117 mm, 691 g		115 x 64 x 45 mm, 343 g

Check FZ330 price at
amazon.com
Check ZV-E10 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 and the Sony ZV-E10? 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 Sony ZV-E10 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 width, height and depth dimensions are rounded to the nearest millimeter.

The ZV-E10 can be obtained in two different colors (black, white), while the FZ330 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 Sony ZV-E10 is considerably smaller (39 percent) than the Panasonic FZ330. It is worth mentioning in this context that the FZ330 is splash and dust resistant, while the ZV-E10 does not feature any corresponding weather-sealing.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ330 has a lens built in, whereas the ZV-E10 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup. You can compare the optics available for the ZV-E10 and their specifications in the Sony E-Mount Lens Catalog.

Concerning battery life, the FZ330 gets 380 shots out of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 battery, while the ZV-E10 can take 440 images on a single charge of its Sony NP-FW50 power pack. The power pack in the ZV-E10 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 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.		Panasonic FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	115 mm	64 mm	45 mm	343 g	440	n	Jul 2021	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X30	119 mm	72 mm	60 mm	423 g	470	n	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
6.		Leica X-U Typ 113	140 mm	79 mm	88 mm	635 g	450	Y	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ1000	137 mm	99 mm	131 mm	831 g	360	n	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX100	115 mm	66 mm	55 mm	393 g	300	n	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
12.		Sony A3000	128 mm	91 mm	85 mm	411 g	470	n	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	110 mm	63 mm	36 mm	283 g	400	n	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	120 mm	67 mm	45 mm	344 g	360	n	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6100	120 mm	67 mm	59 mm	396 g	420	n	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3	117 mm	62 mm	33 mm	297 g	330	n	May 2010	599	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

Any camera decision will obviously take relative prices into account. 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 lower price than the ZV-E10, 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. Then, after the new model is out, very good deals can frequently be found on the pre-owned market.

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. All other things equal, a large sensor will have larger individual pixel-units that offer better low-light sensitivity, wider dynamic range, and 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 are more costly to manufacture and tend to lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Panasonic FZ330 features a 1/2.3-inch sensor and the Sony ZV-E10 an APS-C sensor. The sensor area in the ZV-E10 is 1211 percent bigger. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 5.6 and 1.5. The sensor in the FZ330 has a native 4:3 aspect ratio, while the one in the ZV-E10 offers a 3:2 aspect.

With 24MP, the ZV-E10 offers a higher resolution than the FZ330 (12MP), but the ZV-E10 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.91μm versus 1.53μm for the FZ330) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the ZV-E10 is a much more recent model (by 6 years) than the FZ330, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixel-units. Coming back to sensor resolution, it should be mentioned that the FZ330 has no anti-alias filter installed, so that it can capture all the detail its sensor resolves.

The resolution advantage of the Sony ZV-E10 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the ZV-E10 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 FZ330 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 ZV-E10 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 6400. The corresponding ISO settings for the Sony ZV-E10 are ISO 100 to ISO 32000, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-51200.

In terms of underlying technology, the FZ330 is build around a BSI-CMOS sensor, while the ZV-E10 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.

Consistent information on actual sensor performance is available from DXO Mark for many cameras. 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 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.		Sony ZV-E10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.2	13.8	2134	85
3.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
4.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
5.		Fujifilm X30	2/3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	20.4	11.2	-312	49
6.		Leica X-U Typ 113	APS-C	16.1	4928	3264	1080/30p	23.8	13.0	1614	80
7.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
8.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
9.		Panasonic FZ1000	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.1	11.7	517	64
10.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
11.		Panasonic LX100	Four Thirds	12.7	4112	3088	4K/30p	22.3	12.5	553	67
12.		Sony A3000	APS-C	19.8	5456	3632	1080/60i	23.7	12.8	1068	78
13.		Sony A5100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.8	12.7	1347	80
14.		Sony A6000	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	24.1	13.1	1347	82
15.		Sony A6100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1947	84
16.		Sony NEX-3	APS-C	14.0	4592	3056	720/30p	22.1	12.0	830	68
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 can also record movies. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, and both provide the same movie specifications (4K/30p).

Feature comparison

Apart from body and sensor, cameras can and do differ across a range of features. For example, the FZ330 has an electronic viewfinder (1440k dots), which can be very helpful when shooting in bright sunlight. In contrast, the ZV-E10 relies on live view and the rear LCD for framing. The adjacent table lists some of the other core features of the Panasonic FZ330 and Sony ZV-E10 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.		Panasonic FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
2.		Sony ZV-E10	none	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	n
3.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/s	Y	Y
5.		Fujifilm X30	2360	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
6.		Leica X-U Typ 113	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/2000s	5.0/s	Y	n
7.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
8.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
9.		Panasonic FZ1000	2359	n	3.0 / 921	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 LX100	2764	n	3.0 / 921	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	n	Y
12.		Sony A3000	202	n	3.0 / 230	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/s	Y	n
13.		Sony A5100	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Sony A6000	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
15.		Sony A6100	1440	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	Y	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	n
16.		Sony NEX-3	optional	n	3.0 / 920	tilting	n	1/4000s	7.0/s	n	n
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 difference between the cameras concerns the presence of an on-board flash. The FZ330 has one, while the ZV-E10 does not. While the built-in flash of the FZ330 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, both cameras under consideration feature an 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.

The FZ330 writes its imaging data to SDXC cards, while the ZV-E10 uses SDXC or Memory Stick PRO Duo 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 Sony ZV-E10 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.		Sony ZV-E10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	Y	Y
3.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
5.		Fujifilm X30	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	-
6.		Leica X-U Typ 113	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	-	2.0	-	-	-
7.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
8.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
9.		Panasonic FZ1000	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
10.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Panasonic LX100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
12.		Sony A3000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
13.		Sony A5100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
14.		Sony A6000	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-
15.		Sony A6100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
16.		Sony NEX-3	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Sony RX10 II	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	2.0	Y	Y	-

Both the FZ330 and the ZV-E10 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The FZ330 replaced the earlier Panasonic FZ200, while the ZV-E10 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the FZ330 and ZV-E10 can be found, respectively, in the Panasonic FZ330 Manual (free pdf) or the online Sony ZV-E10 Manual.

Review summary

So how do things add up? Is there a clear favorite between the Panasonic FZ330 and the Sony ZV-E10? Which camera is better? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Arguments in favor of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330:

• Maximized detail: Lacks an anti-alias filter to exploit the sensor's full resolution potential.
• Easier framing: Has an electronic viewfinder for image composition and settings control.
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 922k dots).
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• Ready to shoot: Has a lens built-in, whereas the ZV-E10 requires a separate lens.
• Better sealing: Is weather sealed to enable shooting in dusty or wet environments.
• Sharper images: Has hand-shake reducing image stabilization built-in.
• Easier fill-in: Is equipped with a small onboard flash to brighten deep shadow areas.
• More affordable: Was introduced at a lower price, despite coming with a built-in lens.
• More heavily discounted: Has been available for much longer (launched in July 2015).

Advantages of the Sony ZV-E10:

• More detail: Has more megapixels (24 vs 12MP), which boosts linear resolution by 44%.
• Better moiré control: Has an anti-alias filter to avoid artificial patterns to appear in images.
• Better image quality: Is equipped with a larger and more technologically advanced 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.
• Better sound control: Has a headphone port that enables audio monitoring while recording.
• More flexible: Takes interchangeable lenses and can thus be used with specialty optics.
• More compact: Is smaller (115x64mm vs 132x92mm) and will fit more readily into a bag.
• Longer lasting: Gets more shots (440 versus 380) out of a single battery charge.
• Easier travel charging: Can be conveniently charged via its USB port.
• Faster data transfer: Supports a more advanced USB protocol (3.2 vs 2.0).
• 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: Reflects 6 years of technical progress since the FZ330 launch.

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the ZV-E10 is the clear winner of the contest (16 : 10 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 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 FZ330 and the Sony ZV-E10 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Superzoom Camera and Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens 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 remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the FZ330 or the ZV-E10 perform in practice. 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 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 FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	599	amazon.com
2.		Sony ZV-E10	4/5	..	4/5	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2021	699	amazon.com
3.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	999	ebay.com
4.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	549	ebay.com
5.		Fujifilm X30	4/5	..	..	76/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Aug 2014	599	ebay.com
6.		Leica X-U Typ 113	3.5/5	..	..	..	..	3.5/5	Jan 2016	2,950	ebay.com
7.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	499	ebay.com
8.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	599	ebay.com
9.		Panasonic FZ1000	4/5	+ +	..	82/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jun 2014	899	ebay.com
10.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	499	ebay.com
11.		Panasonic LX100	5/5	+ +	..	85/100	5/5	5/5	Sep 2014	899	ebay.com
12.		Sony A3000	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Aug 2013	329	ebay.com
13.		Sony A5100	4.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	5/5	Aug 2014	549	ebay.com
14.		Sony A6000	5/5	+	4.5/5	80/100	4.5/5	5/5	Feb 2014	599	ebay.com
15.		Sony A6100	..	..	4/5	82/100	4/5	5/5	Aug 2019	749	ebay.com
16.		Sony NEX-3	..	..	..	70/100	4.5/5	4/5	May 2010	599	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.

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

Did this review help to inform your camera decision process? If you would like to see a different side-by-side camera review, just use the search menu below. There is also a set of direct links to comparison reviews that other users of the CAM-parator app explored.

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