Dedicated cameras still lead the way for casual and professional photographers as they can provide the freedom no smartphone can offer. The Panasonic Lumix FZ300 Vs Sony DSC HX400V are excellent zoom cameras from the respective company that fit in many pockets and applications. These cameras are based on a time-proven sensor and produce fantastic shots. Today we will see what else the two can offer, the major differences, and which you may like better.
In this comparison, we will talk about the following:
- What are the Shooting Modes in a Dedicated Camera
- What are Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
- How is the Design of the Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
- What are the Camera Specs of the Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
- How is the Image Quality from Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
- How is the Experience with Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
- Panasonic Lumix FZ300 Vs Sony DSC HX400V
Shooting Modes
One of the main advantages of a dedicated camera is the different shooting modes accessible from the dial. Many cameras have a dial allowing you to shoot at different modes. Manual (M) mode allows you to adjust the exposure triangle, aperture, ISO, and shutter speed. Aperture Priority (A/Av) lets you adjust the aperture and ISO while the camera controls the shutter speed. Shutter priority (S/Tv) lets you control the shutter speed and ISO as the camera decides the aperture. The program mode allows you to handle the ISO as the camera sets the aperture and shutter speed.
About Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V
A dedicated camera is a fascinating device that captures light and preserves the moment. You don’t need to spend for the most expensive or best camera in the market to start with the hobby. Many good cameras are pretty affordable, depending on your applications. Of course, the higher the demand and the more capable the device is, the more you have to pay. Nowadays, most companies carry varying options for users, including beginners and budget shoppers.
Zoom cameras like Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V are perfect solutions for casual photographers who want to get closer to their subject but are physically unable to. Zoom camera is often known as the bridge camera for the function and also type that somehow sits between the casual and enthusiast option. The significant advantage of any zoom camera is that you can perform optical zoom through the built-in lens and still get a decent image compared to the digital zoom that crops the sensor.
The drawback is that you can’t change the lens, and the camera could be more compact, like Panasonic Lumix LX10 Vs Canon G7 X Mark II. The main difference between Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V is the lens because the latter uses a more extended zoom range that can get you closer to a subject. This model also uses a higher pixel density to maintain the resolution. These cameras are ideal for casual and beginners photographers with different shooting modes to fit your preference and situations.
Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V Design
These cameras are not compact and more similar to an enthusiast’s device than a casual camera. The FZ300 is 132mm wide, 92mm tall, and 117mm deep, while HX400V is 130mm wide, 93mm tall, and 103mm deep. These cameras have a prominent grip to help stabilize the device while using the zoom function. The control layout is similar, but the dial button in FZ300 shifts to the center near your EVF, while HX400 has it behind the shutter button. You can use the shutter button to dial the zoom range.
Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V Camera Specs
Let’s see what the Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V can offer, starting from the camera specs. Both cameras use the same sensor size or the 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS sensor, but the HX400V has a tighter pixel density by putting a 20MP resolution on the sensor, while FZ300 uses a 12MP sensor. Another significant difference is the lens because the FZ300 has a 25 – 600mm lens with an aperture of F2.8 versus HX400V with its 24 – 1200mm F2.8 – 6.3 lens. This spec alone tells you that Sony provides a much longer zoom with this camera.
Panasonic uses a fixed aperture lens for its zoom camera to retain light because your camera loses its light-gathering ability as it increases the zoom range. However, it doesn’t make the HZ400V suddenly an inferior design because the high pixel density is handy in this case to give you more room to crop. In addition, this camera has a higher ISO range than the FZ300.
Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V Image Quality
The image quality from Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V is pretty good, but also different. The FZ300 surprisingly produces a better dynamic range than the HX400V. The other difference is FZ300 has a slightly tighter view through its 25mm lens versus the 24mm lens on the latter, meaning you can capture more of what’s in front of the camera using the HX400V. The major difference is that you can crank the zoom much longer with HX400V, doubling the range of FZ300, which might be handy for some applications.
Like most zoom cameras, the image quality will decrease as you increase the zoom, but HZ400V still manages to keep the details, thanks to the 20MP sensor. In addition, you can shoot in different modes using these cameras, making them more versatile for enthusiasts to design the camera and how they want to take the picture according to shooting conditions.
Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V User Experience
Lastly, we want to discuss the user experience because Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V are quite different. The FZ300 is a slightly better hybrid camera thanks to its rotating display, which is more video-oriented than the tilting screen on HX400V, that is more in the photography style. The FZ300 has a better viewfinder and 4K 30fps recording, while the HX400V only tops at 1080p. Of course, depending on your application, these factors may not be crucial, but they make the FZ300 more versatile.
Panasonic Lumix FZ300 Vs Sony DSC HX400V
The Panasonic Lumix FZ300 and Sony DSC HX400V are perfect solutions for everyone who wants a good camera with a long zoom range. The main differences between the two cameras are sensor and features because the HX400V has more pixels to work with and retain image sharpness, while FZ300 offers excellent dynamic range and a versatile system, in case you also record video using the camera.
Conclusion
The decision is yours because we may have different preferences. We recommend the FZ300 for its overall ability and price point. This camera can offer a decent zoom range and is versatile for hybrid users. It has better EVF, can record 4K 30fps, and produce excellent image quality.
