Canon R100 vs Panasonic FZ150

The Canon EOS R100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 are two digital cameras that were officially introduced, respectively, in May 2023 and August 2011. The R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ150 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (R100) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ150) sensor. The Canon has a resolution of 24 megapixels, whereas the Panasonic provides 12 MP.

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

Headline Specifications

Canon R100		Panasonic FZ150
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
		25-600mm f/2.8-5.2
24 MP – APS-C sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4k/24p Video		1080/60p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-3,200 (100 - 6,400)
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (202k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 460k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel screen (not touch-sensitive)
6.5 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
400 shots per battery charge		410 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		124 x 82 x 92 mm, 528 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check FZ150 offers at
ebay.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150? 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 Canon R100 and the Panasonic FZ150. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear are shown. 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 Panasonic FZ150 is somewhat larger (2 percent) than the Canon R100. In this context, it is worth noting that neither the R100 nor the FZ150 are weather-sealed.

The above size and weight comparisons are to some extent incomplete and possibly misleading, as the FZ150 has a lens built in, whereas the R100 is an interchangeable lens camera that requires a separate lens. Attaching the latter will add extra weight and bulk to the setup.

Concerning battery life, the R100 gets 400 shots out of its Canon LP-E17 battery, while the FZ150 can take 410 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BMB9 power pack.

The following table provides a synthesis of the main physical specifications of the two cameras and other similar ones. In case you want to display and compare another camera duo, you can use the CAM-parator app to select your camera combination among a large number of options.

Body Specifications

		Camera Model	Camera Width	Camera Height	Camera Depth	Camera Weight	Battery Life	Weather Sealing	Camera Launch	Launch Price	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	356 g	400	n	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50 V	119 mm	74 mm	45 mm	370 g	390	n	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX50	123 mm	87 mm	106 mm	595 g	315	n	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FZ100	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	540 g	410	n	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	111 mm	68 mm	46 mm	298 g	330	n	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	US$ 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

The price is, of course, an important factor in any camera decision. The manufacturer’s suggested retail prices give an idea on the placement of the camera in the maker’s lineup and the broader market. 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 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. Further, a large sensor camera will give the photographer additional creative options when using shallow depth-of-field to isolate a subject from its background. On the downside, larger sensors tend to be more expensive and lead to bigger and heavier cameras and lenses.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R100 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic FZ150 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ150 is 92 percent smaller. As a result of these sensor size differences, the cameras have a format factor of, respectively, 1.6 and 5.6. The sensor in the R100 has a native 3:2 aspect ratio, while the one in the FZ150 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the R100 offers a higher resolution than the FZ150 (12MP), but the R100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.53μm for the FZ150) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R100 is a much more recent model (by 11 years and 9 months) than the FZ150, and its sensor will have benefitted from technological advances during this time that further enhance the light gathering capacity of its pixels. 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 Canon R100 implies greater flexibility for cropping images or the possibility to print larger pictures. The maximum print size of the R100 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 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 R100 has on-sensor phase detect pixels, which results in fast and reliable autofocus acquisition even during live view operation.

The Canon EOS R100 has a native sensitivity range from ISO 100 to ISO 25600. The corresponding ISO settings for the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 are ISO 100 to ISO 3200, with the possibility to increase the ISO range to 100-6400.

Technology-wise, both cameras are equipped with CMOS (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.

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 following table provides an overview of the physical sensor characteristics, as well as the sensor quality measurements for a selection of comparators.

Sensor Characteristics

		Camera Model	Sensor Class	Resolution (MP)	Horiz. Pixels	Vert. Pixels	Video Format	DXO Portrait	DXO Landscape	DXO Sports	DXO Overall
1.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
6.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
7.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
8.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
9.		Canon R50 V	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/60p	24.1	14.1	2383	85
10.		Canon SX50	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/24p	20.3	11.2	179	47
11.		Canon SX730	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	1080/60p	20.5	11.9	924	50
12.		Canon SX740	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.6	12.1	1050	51
13.		Panasonic FZ100	1/2.3	14.0	4320	3240	1080/60i	19.4	10.7	306	39
14.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
15.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
16.		Panasonic LX7	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	1080/60p	20.7	11.7	147	50
17.		Panasonic TZ95	1/2.3	20.2	5184	3888	4K/30p	20.7	12.2	1103	52
Note: DXO values in italics represent estimates based on sensor size and age.

Many modern cameras cannot only take still pictures, but also record videos. The two cameras under consideration both have sensors whose read-out speed is fast enough to capture moving pictures, but the R100 provides a higher video resolution than the FZ150. It can shoot video footage at 4k/24p, while the Panasonic is limited to 1080/60p.

Feature comparison

Apart from 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 R100 offers a substantially higher resolution than the one in the FZ150 (2360k vs 202k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R100 and Panasonic FZ150 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.		Canon R100	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	fixed	n	1/4000s	6.5/s	Y	n
2.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
6.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon R50 V	none	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	n	n
10.		Canon SX50	202	n	3.0 / 461	swivel	n	1/2000s	2.2/s	Y	Y
11.		Canon SX730	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	5.9/s	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	none	n	3.0 / 922	tilting	n	1/3200s	10.0/s	Y	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ100	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	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 LX7	optional	n	3.0 / 920	fixed	n	1/4000s	11.0/s	Y	Y
17.		Panasonic TZ95	2330	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	10.0/s	Y	Y
Note: *) Information refers to the mechanical shutter, unless the camera only has an electronic one.

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 R100 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 Canon R100 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R100 and the FZ150 write their files to SDXC cards. The R100 supports UHS-I cards (Ultra High Speed data transfer of up to 104 MB/s), while the FZ150 cannot take advantage of Ultra High Speed SD 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 Canon EOS R100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ150 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.		Canon R100	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
2.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
6.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
7.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R50 V	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon SX50	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
11.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Panasonic FZ100	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
14.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX7	Y	stereo / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

It is notable that the R100 has a microphone port, which is missing on the FZ150. Such an external microphone input can help to substantially improve the quality of audio recordings when a good external microphone is used.

The R100 is a recent model that features in the current product line-up of Canon. In contrast, the FZ150 has been discontinued (but can be found pre-owned on ebay). As a replacement in the same line of cameras, the FZ150 was succeeded by the Panasonic FZ200. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and FZ150 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ150 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R100 better than the Panasonic FZ150 or vice versa? The listing below highlights the relative strengths of the two models.

Advantages of the Canon EOS R100:

• More detail: Offers more megapixels (24 vs 12MP) with a 44% higher linear resolution.
• Better image quality: Features a larger and more technologically advanced imaging 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 video: Provides higher definition movie capture (4k/24p vs 1080/60p).
• Better live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• Better sound: Can connect to an external microphone for higher quality sound recording.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 202k dots).
• More detailed LCD: Has a higher resolution rear screen (1040k vs 460k dots).
• Faster shutter: Has higher mechanical shutter speed (1/4000s vs 1/2000s) to freeze action.
• Less disturbing: Has an electronic shutter option for completely silent shooting.
• Easier time-lapse photography: Has an intervalometer built-in for low frequency shooting.
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• Easier file upload: Has wifi built in for automatic backup or image transfer to the web.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• Faster buffer clearing: Has an SD card interface that supports the UHS-I standard.
• More modern: Reflects 11 years and 9 months of technical progress since the FZ150 launch.

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 6.5 flaps/sec) to capture the decisive moment.
• Ready to shoot: Has an integrated lens, whereas the R100 necessitates an extra lens.
• Sharper images: Has stabilization technology built-in to reduce the impact of hand-shake.
• More heavily discounted: Has been around for much longer (launched in August 2011).

If the number of relative strengths (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R100 is the clear winner of the match-up (18 : 6 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 Canon R100 and the Panasonic FZ150 place the cameras among the top in their class? Find out in the latest Best Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera and Best Superzoom Camera listings whether the two cameras rank among the cream of the crop.

In any case, while the comparison of technical specifications can provide a useful overview of the capabilities of different cameras, it remains incomplete and does no justice, for example, to the way the R100 or the FZ150 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	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	US$ 479	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	US$ 499	ebay.com
3.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	US$ 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	US$ 749	amazon.com
5.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	US$ 499	ebay.com
6.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	US$ 549	ebay.com
7.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	US$ 979	amazon.com
8.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	US$ 679	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50 V	..	..	..	84/100	..	..	Mar 2025	US$ 649	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX50	3/5	+ +	..	72/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Sep 2012	US$ 429	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	US$ 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	US$ 399	amazon.com
13.		Panasonic FZ100	..	+	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 599	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	US$ 499	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX7	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	US$ 499	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	US$ 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted with care, though. The ratings are only valid when referring to cameras in the same category and of the same age. 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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