Canon R100 vs Panasonic FZ330

The Canon EOS R100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 (labelled Panasonic FZ300 in some countries) are two digital cameras that were revealed to the public, respectively, in May 2023 and July 2015. The R100 is a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera, while the FZ330 is a fixed lens compact. The cameras are based on an APS-C (R100) and a 1/2.3-inch (FZ330) 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 FZ330
Mirrorless system camera		Fixed lens compact camera
		25-600mm f/2.8
24 MP – APS-C sensor		12 MP – 1/2.3" sensor
4k/24p Video		4K/30p Video
ISO 100-25,600		ISO 100-6,400
Electronic viewfinder (2360k dots)		Electronic viewfinder (1440k dots)
3.0" LCD – 1040k dots		3.0" LCD – 1040k dots
Fixed screen (not touch-sensitive)		Swivel touchscreen
6.5 shutter flaps per second		12 shutter flaps per second
not weather sealed		Weathersealed body
400 shots per battery charge		380 shots per battery charge
116 x 86 x 69 mm, 356 g		132 x 92 x 117 mm, 691 g

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check FZ330 price at
amazon.com

Going beyond this snapshot of core features and characteristics, what are the differences between the Canon EOS R100 and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330? 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 FZ330. The two cameras are presented according to their relative size. Three successive views from the front, the top, and the rear 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 Panasonic FZ330 is notably larger (22 percent) than the Canon R100. It is noteworthy in this context that the FZ330 is splash and dust-proof, while the R100 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 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 FZ330 can take 380 images on a single charge of its Panasonic DMW-BLC12 power pack.

The table below summarizes the key physical specs of the two cameras alongside a broader set of comparators. 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	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ330	132 mm	92 mm	117 mm	691 g	380	Y	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
3.		Canon G3 X	123 mm	77 mm	105 mm	733 g	300	Y	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	111 mm	61 mm	46 mm	340 g	230	n	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	105 mm	61 mm	41 mm	304 g	235	n	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
6.		Canon M100	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	302 g	295	n	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	108 mm	67 mm	35 mm	299 g	315	n	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	123 mm	88 mm	83 mm	429 g	450	n	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50	116 mm	86 mm	69 mm	375 g	230	n	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX60	128 mm	93 mm	114 mm	650 g	340	n	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	300 g	250	n	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	110 mm	64 mm	40 mm	299 g	265	n	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-A7	119 mm	68 mm	41 mm	320 g	440	n	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ150	124 mm	82 mm	92 mm	528 g	410	n	Aug 2011	EUR 529	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ200	125 mm	87 mm	110 mm	588 g	540	n	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX5	110 mm	65 mm	43 mm	271 g	400	n	Jul 2010	EUR 529	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	112 mm	69 mm	42 mm	327 g	380	n	Feb 2019	EUR 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 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. 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.

Sensor comparison

The size of the sensor inside a digital camera is one of the key determinants of image quality. A large sensor will generally have larger individual pixels that offer better low-light sensitivity, provide wider dynamic range, and have richer color-depth than smaller pixels 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.

Of the two cameras under consideration, the Canon R100 features an APS-C sensor and the Panasonic FZ330 a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The sensor area in the FZ330 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 FZ330 offers a 4:3 aspect.

With 24MP, the R100 offers a higher resolution than the FZ330 (12MP), but the R100 nevertheless has larger individual pixels (pixel pitch of 3.72μm versus 1.53μm for the FZ330) due to its larger sensor. Moreover, the R100 is a much more recent model (by 7 years and 10 months) than the FZ330, 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 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 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-FZ330 are ISO 100 to ISO 6400 (no boost).

In terms of underlying technology, the R100 is build around a CMOS sensor, while the FZ330 uses a BSI-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.

Since 2007, DXO Mark has published sensor performance measurements that have been derived using a consistent methodology. 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.		Canon R100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/24p	24.1	13.9	2197	84
2.		Panasonic FZ330	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	4K/30p	19.3	11.0	97	38
3.		Canon G3 X	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	1080/60p	21.4	12.3	521	63
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	1-inch	20.0	5472	3648	4K/30p	22.2	12.4	583	65
6.		Canon M100	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	1080/60p	23.5	12.9	1272	78
7.		Canon M200	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/25p	24.0	13.5	1836	82
8.		Canon R10	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4k/60p	24.1	13.8	2085	84
9.		Canon R50	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.9	2168	84
10.		Canon SX60	1/2.3	14.2	4608	3072	1080/60p	19.2	10.8	127	39
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.		Fujifilm X-A7	APS-C	24.0	6000	4000	4K/30p	24.1	13.6	1955	84
14.		Panasonic FZ150	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.4	10.9	132	40
15.		Panasonic FZ200	1/2.3	12.0	4000	3000	1080/60p	19.1	10.8	114	37
16.		Panasonic LX5	1/1.7	10.0	3648	2736	720/60p	19.6	10.8	132	41
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. Both cameras under consideration have a sensor with sufficiently fast read-out times for moving pictures, but the FZ330 provides a faster frame rate than the R100. It can shoot movie footage at 4K/30p, while the Canon is limited to 4k/24p.

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 FZ330 (2360k vs 1440k dots). The table below summarizes some of the other core capabilities of the Canon R100 and Panasonic FZ330 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 FZ330	1440	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
3.		Canon G3 X	optional	n	3.2 / 1620	tilting	Y	1/2000s	5.9/s	Y	Y
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/2000s	30/s	Y	Y
6.		Canon M100	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
7.		Canon M200	none	n	3.0 / 1040	tilting	Y	1/4000s	6.1/s	Y	n
8.		Canon R10	2360	n	3.0 / 1040	swivel	Y	1/8000s	15.0/s	Y	n
9.		Canon R50	2360	n	3.0 / 1620	swivel	Y	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	n
10.		Canon SX60	922	n	3.0 / 922	swivel	n	1/2000s	6.4/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.		Fujifilm X-A7	none	n	3.5 / 2760	swivel	Y	1/4000s	6.0/s	Y	n
14.		Panasonic FZ150	202	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/2000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
15.		Panasonic FZ200	1312	n	3.0 / 460	swivel	n	1/4000s	12.0/s	Y	Y
16.		Panasonic LX5	optional	n	3.0 / 460	fixed	n	1/4000s	2.5/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.

One differentiating feature between the two cameras concerns the touch sensitivity of the rear screen. The FZ330 has a touchscreen, while the R100 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, 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 Canon R100 and the Panasonic FZ330 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.

Concerning the storage of imaging data, both the R100 and the FZ330 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 Canon EOS R100 and Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330 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 FZ330	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	-	-
3.		Canon G3 X	Y	stereo / mono	Y	Y	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	-	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.1	Y	-	Y
6.		Canon M100	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
7.		Canon M200	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
8.		Canon R10	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
9.		Canon R50	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	3.2	Y	-	Y
10.		Canon SX60	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	Y	Y	-
11.		Canon SX730	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	Y	Y
12.		Canon SX740	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
13.		Fujifilm X-A7	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y
14.		Panasonic FZ150	Y	stereo / -	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
15.		Panasonic FZ200	Y	stereo / mono	Y	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
16.		Panasonic LX5	Y	mono / mono	-	-	mini	2.0	-	-	-
17.		Panasonic TZ95	-	stereo / mono	-	-	micro	2.0	Y	-	Y

Both the R100 and the FZ330 are recent models that are part of the current product line-up. The FZ330 replaced the earlier Panasonic FZ200, while the R100 does not have a direct predecessor. Further information on the features and operation of the R100 and FZ330 can be found, respectively, in the Canon R100 Manual (free pdf) or the online Panasonic FZ330 Manual.

Review summary

So what conclusions can be drawn? Is the Canon R100 better than the Panasonic FZ330 or vice versa? Below is a summary of the relative strengths of each of the two contestants.

Reasons to prefer 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 live-view autofocus: Features on-sensor phase-detection for more confident autofocus.
• More detailed viewfinder: Has higher resolution electronic viewfinder (2360k vs 1440k dots).
• More flexible: Accepts interchangeable lenses, so that lens characteristics can be altered.
• More compact: Is smaller (116x86mm vs 132x92mm) and thus needs less room in the bag.
• Easier wireless transfer: Supports Bluetooth for image sharing without cables.
• More modern: Reflects 7 years and 10 months of technical progress since the FZ330 launch.

Advantages of the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ330:

• Better video: Provides higher movie framerates (4K/30p versus 4k/24p).
• Larger viewfinder image: Features a viewfinder with a higher magnification (0.70x vs 0.58x).
• More flexible LCD: Has a swivel screen for odd-angle shots in portrait or landscape orientation.
• Fewer buttons to press: Has a touchscreen to facilitate handling and shooting adjustments.
• 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.
• Better sealing: Is splash and dust sealed for shooting in inclement weather conditions.
• 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 July 2015).

If the count of individual advantages (bullet points above) is taken as a guide, the R100 comes out slightly ahead of the FZ330 (11 : 10 points). However, the pertinence of the various camera strengths will differ across photographers, so that you might want to weigh individual camera traits according to their importance for your own imaging needs before making a camera decision. A professional wildlife photographer will view the differences between cameras in a way that diverges from the perspective of a family photog, and a person interested in architecture has distinct needs from a sports 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 FZ330 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 the spec-sheets of cameras can offer a general idea of their imaging potential, it remains partial and cannot reveal, for example, the shooting experience and imaging performance when actually working with the R100 or the FZ330. 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	Street Price
1.		Canon R100	3/5	o	4.5/5	79/100	..	3.5/5	May 2023	EUR 579	amazon.com
2.		Panasonic FZ330	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2015	EUR 449	amazon.com
3.		Canon G3 X	3.5/5	+	..	..	4.5/5	4/5	Jun 2015	EUR 899	ebay.com
4.		Canon G5 X Mark II	4/5	+	4/5	82/100	..	4/5	Jul 2019	EUR 929	ebay.com
5.		Canon G7 X Mark III	..	+ +	4/5	81/100	4/5	..	Jul 2019	EUR 779	amazon.com
6.		Canon M100	3/5	+	..	..	4/5	3.5/5	Aug 2017	EUR 479	ebay.com
7.		Canon M200	..	+	3/5	79/100	4/5	4/5	Sep 2019	EUR 539	ebay.com
8.		Canon R10	4/5	..	4.5/5	87/100	4/5	4.5/5	May 2022	EUR 979	amazon.com
9.		Canon R50	4/5	+ +	4.5/5	84/100	..	4.5/5	Feb 2023	EUR 829	amazon.com
10.		Canon SX60	3/5	+ +	..	75/100	4/5	4.5/5	Sep 2014	EUR 529	ebay.com
11.		Canon SX730	..	+	..	..	4/5	4/5	Apr 2017	EUR 399	ebay.com
12.		Canon SX740	..	+	3.5/5	..	4/5	4/5	Jul 2018	EUR 399	amazon.com
13.		Fujifilm X-A7	3/5	..	3.5/5	81/100	4/5	3.5/5	Sep 2019	EUR 549	ebay.com
14.		Panasonic FZ150	3/5	+ +	..	76/100	4/5	4.5/5	Aug 2011	EUR 529	ebay.com
15.		Panasonic FZ200	3/5	+ +	..	80/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2012	EUR 599	ebay.com
16.		Panasonic LX5	4/5	+	..	73/100	4.5/5	4.5/5	Jul 2010	EUR 529	ebay.com
17.		Panasonic TZ95	..	+ +	..	..	4.5/5	..	Feb 2019	EUR 449	ebay.com
Note: (+ +) highly recommended; (+) recommended; (o) reviewed; (..) not available.

The above review scores should be interpreted 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 rating-comparisons among cameras that span long time periods or concern very differently equipped models make little sense. It should also be noted that some of the review sites have over time altered the way they render their verdicts.

Check R100 price at
amazon.com
Check FZ330 price at
amazon.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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Check R100 price at
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Check FZ330 price at
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