The Nikon Coolpix P90 offers 24x zoom compared to the 18x on offer from the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38. This definitely gives the Coolpix P90 the upper hand if you need to shoot from distance, for example for sports and wildlife photography. As with other Panasonic digital cameras the Lumix DMC FZ38 has an option to further increase the amount of zoom available if you are willing to shoot at lower resolutions. As you step down in terms of megapixels extra zoom becomes progressively available. There is a maximum 35.2x zoom at your disposal when shooting at 3 megapixels.

Basic Specification
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38 12 megapixels 18x Optical Zoom 2.7 inch LCD screen Viewfinder Manual Exposure Macro Focus: 1cm Dimensions: 117.6 x 75.8 x 88.9mm Weight: 367g Conversion lens compatible High Definition movies	Nikon Coolpix P90 12 megapixels 24x wide angle optical zoom 3 inch LCD screen Viewfinder Manual Exposure Macro Focus 1cm Dimensions: 114 x 83 x 99mm Weight: 400g Not conversion lens compatible Standard Definition Movies

As you can see both the Coolpix P90 and the Lumix DMC FZ38 have a wide range of features. These cameras are aimed at more experienced photographers, but they are also likely to be attractive to anyone who is looking to learn about photography or to someone who simply would like a camera with plenty of zoom.

Looking at some of the more subtle differences the Coolpix P90 has the larger LCD screen. The LCD screen also tilts by up to 90 degrees to help you out in awkward shooting conditions.

When it comes to shooting movies the Lumix DMC FZ38 has a clear edge. It is one of the few digital cameras that is able to capture stereo sound. It also lets you zoom in and out while you are recording a movie.

The Lumix DMC FZ38 is both smaller and more lightweight. Both cameras come in black. They are similar in shape to a Digital SLR.

This is another area where the Panasonic model has the edge. In fact the time it took to take a single shot (0.25 seconds) and five shots (7.47 seconds) make it one of the top cameras in this class.

Both cameras run on lithium ion batteries.

I thought the Lumix DMC FZ38 did exceptionally well in my tests. There tends to be less difference in picture quality with these larger, more expensive cameras, but I felt the FZ38 had the edge here. Both cameras are capable of taking a good quality close up picture when placed in macro mode.

Panasonic and Nikon are two of my favourite brands when it comes to ease of use, so there is little to choose between the two cameras when it comes to ease of use. To get the most out of all the various features you will need to get out and about and be prepared to experiment, but that should not prove to be too much of a hardship.

If it is extreme you want the Nikon Coolpix P90 has the advantage, unless you decide you do not need to utilize all the pixels on offer. In most other instances I found the Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38 to be the winner. Sometimes you pick up a camera and seem to find an instant rapport with it. That was how I found the Lumix DMC FZ38. If I was looking for a reasonably priced super zoom digital camera that also allowed me to reel off the occasional bit of video footage this would be the camera for me.

Front View
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38



Nikon Coolpix P90


Back View
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38



Nikon Coolpix P90


Top View
Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38



Nikon Coolpix P90

	GBP 238.50
	GBP 249.99
	GBP 299
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	GBP 270.00
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Nikon Coolpix P90 Review

Nikon Coolpix P90 Specification

Panasonic DMC FZ38 Review

Panasonic DMC FZ38 Specification

Nikon Coolpix P90 vs Olympus SP-570UZ

Nikon Coolpix P90 vs Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ38

Although every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information on this site, please make sure you double check the feature set and specification at the point of purchase.