Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH4 vs. Nikon Coolpix L21
Comparison
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| Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH4 | Nikon Coolpix L21 | ||||
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Megapixels
14.10
8.00
Max. image resolution
4320 x 3240
3648 x 2736
Sensor
Sensor type
n/a
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.33" (~ 6.08 x 4.56 mm)
1/2.33" (~ 6.08 x 4.56 mm)
Sensor size comparison
Sensor size is generally a good indicator of the quality of the camera.
Sensors can vary greatly in size. As a general rule, the bigger the
sensor, the better the image quality.
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Bigger sensors are more effective because they have more surface area to capture light. An important factor when comparing digital cameras is also camera generation. Generally, newer sensors will outperform the older.
Learn more about sensor sizes »
Actual sensor size
Note: Actual size is set to screen → change »
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| Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH4 | Nikon Coolpix L21 | |
Surface area:
| 27.72 mm² | vs | 27.72 mm² |
Difference: 0 mm² (0%)
FH4 and L21 sensors are the same size.
Note: You are comparing cameras of different generations.
There is a 2 year gap between Panasonic FH4 (2012) and Nikon L21 (2010).
All things being equal, newer sensor generations generally outperform the older.
Pixel pitch tells you the distance from the center of one pixel (photosite) to the center of the next. It tells you how close the pixels are to each other.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
The bigger the pixel pitch, the further apart they are and the bigger each pixel is. Bigger pixels tend to have better signal to noise ratio and greater dynamic range.
Pixel or photosite area affects how much light per pixel can be gathered.
The larger it is the more light can be collected by a single pixel.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Larger pixels have the potential to collect more photons, resulting in greater dynamic range, while smaller pixels provide higher resolutions (more detail) for a given sensor size.
Relative pixel sizes:
vs
Pixel area difference: 1.5 µm² (77%)
A pixel on Nikon L21 sensor is approx. 77% bigger than a pixel on Panasonic FH4.
Pixel density tells you how many million pixels fit or would fit in one
square cm of the sensor.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
Higher pixel density means smaller pixels and lower pixel density means larger pixels.
To learn about the accuracy of these numbers,
click here.
Specs
Panasonic FH4
Nikon L21
Total megapixels
8.30
Effective megapixels
8.00
Optical zoom
3.6x
Digital zoom
Yes
ISO sensitivity
Auto
RAW
Manual focus
Normal focus range
30 cm
Macro focus range
5 cm
Focal length (35mm equiv.)
38 - 136 mm
Aperture priority
No
Max. aperture
f3.1 - f5.6
Metering
Multi, Center-weighted, Spot
Exposure compensation
±2 EV (in 1/3 EV steps)
Shutter priority
No
Min. shutter speed
8 sec
Max. shutter speed
1/2000 sec
Built-in flash
External flash
Viewfinder
None
None
White balance presets
6
Screen size
2.7"
Screen resolution
230,000 dots
Video capture
Max. video resolution
Storage types
SDHC, Secure Digital
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
HDMI
Wireless
GPS
Battery
2 x AA batteries (Alkaline, NiMH or Lithium)
Weight
169 g
Dimensions
92 x 67 x 28 mm
Year
2012
2010
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Diagonal
Diagonal is calculated by the use of Pythagorean theorem:
where w = sensor width and h = sensor height
| Diagonal = √ | w² + h² |
Panasonic FH4 diagonal
The diagonal of FH4 sensor is not 1/2.33 or 0.43" (10.9 mm) as you might expect, but approximately two thirds of
that value - 7.6 mm. If you want to know why, see
sensor sizes.
w = 6.08 mm
h = 4.56 mm
w = 6.08 mm
h = 4.56 mm
| Diagonal = √ | 6.08² + 4.56² | = 7.60 mm |
Nikon L21 diagonal
The diagonal of L21 sensor is not 1/2.33 or 0.43" (10.9 mm) as you might expect, but approximately two thirds of
that value - 7.6 mm. If you want to know why, see
sensor sizes.
w = 6.08 mm
h = 4.56 mm
w = 6.08 mm
h = 4.56 mm
| Diagonal = √ | 6.08² + 4.56² | = 7.60 mm |
Surface area
Surface area is calculated by multiplying the width and the height of a sensor.
FH4 sensor area
Width = 6.08 mm
Height = 4.56 mm
Surface area = 6.08 × 4.56 = 27.72 mm²
Height = 4.56 mm
Surface area = 6.08 × 4.56 = 27.72 mm²
L21 sensor area
Width = 6.08 mm
Height = 4.56 mm
Surface area = 6.08 × 4.56 = 27.72 mm²
Height = 4.56 mm
Surface area = 6.08 × 4.56 = 27.72 mm²
Pixel pitch
Pixel pitch is the distance from the center of one pixel to the center of the
next measured in micrometers (µm). It can be calculated with the following formula:
| Pixel pitch = | sensor width in mm | × 1000 |
| sensor resolution width in pixels |
FH4 pixel pitch
Sensor width = 6.08 mm
Sensor resolution width = 4330 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 4330 pixels
| Pixel pitch = | 6.08 | × 1000 | = 1.4 µm |
| 4330 |
L21 pixel pitch
Sensor width = 6.08 mm
Sensor resolution width = 3262 pixels
Sensor resolution width = 3262 pixels
| Pixel pitch = | 6.08 | × 1000 | = 1.86 µm |
| 3262 |
Pixel area
The area of one pixel can be calculated by simply squaring the pixel pitch:
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
Pixel area = pixel pitch²
You could also divide sensor surface area with effective megapixels:
| Pixel area = | sensor surface area in mm² |
| effective megapixels |
FH4 pixel area
Pixel pitch = 1.4 µm
Pixel area = 1.4² = 1.96 µm²
Pixel area = 1.4² = 1.96 µm²
L21 pixel area
Pixel pitch = 1.86 µm
Pixel area = 1.86² = 3.46 µm²
Pixel area = 1.86² = 3.46 µm²
Pixel density
Pixel density can be calculated with the following formula:
One could also use this formula:
| Pixel density = ( | sensor resolution width in pixels | )² / 1000000 |
| sensor width in cm |
One could also use this formula:
| Pixel density = | effective megapixels × 1000000 | / 10000 |
| sensor surface area in mm² |
FH4 pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 4330 pixels
Sensor width = 0.608 cm
Pixel density = (4330 / 0.608)² / 1000000 = 50.72 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 0.608 cm
Pixel density = (4330 / 0.608)² / 1000000 = 50.72 MP/cm²
L21 pixel density
Sensor resolution width = 3262 pixels
Sensor width = 0.608 cm
Pixel density = (3262 / 0.608)² / 1000000 = 28.78 MP/cm²
Sensor width = 0.608 cm
Pixel density = (3262 / 0.608)² / 1000000 = 28.78 MP/cm²
Sensor resolution
Sensor resolution is calculated from sensor size and effective megapixels. It's slightly higher
than maximum (not interpolated) image resolution which is usually stated on camera specifications.
Sensor resolution is used in pixel pitch, pixel area, and pixel density formula.
For sake of simplicity, we're going to calculate it in 3 stages.
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
3. To get sensor resolution we then multiply X with the corresponding ratio:
Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
1. First we need to find the ratio between horizontal and vertical length by dividing the former with the latter (aspect ratio). It's usually 1.33 (4:3) or 1.5 (3:2), but not always.
2. With the ratio (r) known we can calculate the X from the formula below, where X is a vertical number of pixels:
| (X × r) × X = effective megapixels × 1000000 → |
|
Resolution horizontal: X × r
Resolution vertical: X
FH4 sensor resolution
Sensor width = 6.08 mm
Sensor height = 4.56 mm
Effective megapixels = 14.10
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 3256 × 1.33 = 4330
Resolution vertical: X = 3256
Sensor resolution = 4330 x 3256
Sensor height = 4.56 mm
Effective megapixels = 14.10
| r = 6.08/4.56 = 1.33 |
|
Resolution vertical: X = 3256
Sensor resolution = 4330 x 3256
L21 sensor resolution
Sensor width = 6.08 mm
Sensor height = 4.56 mm
Effective megapixels = 8.00
Resolution horizontal: X × r = 2453 × 1.33 = 3262
Resolution vertical: X = 2453
Sensor resolution = 3262 x 2453
Sensor height = 4.56 mm
Effective megapixels = 8.00
| r = 6.08/4.56 = 1.33 |
|
Resolution vertical: X = 2453
Sensor resolution = 3262 x 2453
Crop factor
Crop factor or focal length multiplier is calculated by dividing the diagonal
of 35 mm film (43.27 mm) with the diagonal of the sensor.
| Crop factor = | 43.27 mm |
| sensor diagonal in mm |
FH4 crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 7.60 mm
| Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 5.69 |
| 7.60 |
L21 crop factor
Sensor diagonal in mm = 7.60 mm
| Crop factor = | 43.27 | = 5.69 |
| 7.60 |
35 mm equivalent aperture
Equivalent aperture (in 135 film terms) is calculated by multiplying lens aperture
with crop factor (a.k.a. focal length multiplier).
FH4 equivalent aperture
Aperture is a lens characteristic, so it's calculated only for
fixed lens cameras. If you want to know the equivalent aperture for
Panasonic FH4, take the aperture of the lens
you're using and multiply it with crop factor.
Crop factor for Panasonic FH4 is 5.69
Crop factor for Panasonic FH4 is 5.69
L21 equivalent aperture
Crop factor = 5.69
Aperture = f3.1 - f5.6
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f3.1 - f5.6) × 5.69 = f17.6 - f31.9
Aperture = f3.1 - f5.6
35-mm equivalent aperture = (f3.1 - f5.6) × 5.69 = f17.6 - f31.9
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