Panasonic G9 vs Sony A580

Here is a in-depth analysis of the Panasonic G9 versus Sony A580, one being a Pro Mirrorless and the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. There is a significant difference among the resolutions of the G9 (20MP) and A580 (16MP) and the G9 (Four Thirds) and A580 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizes.

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The G9 was unveiled 6 years later than the A580 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic G9 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a quick introduction of how the G9 scores vs the A580 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DC-G9 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic G9 Gallery and Sony A580 Gallery.

For anyone who is looking to carry your camera, you need to factor in its weight and size. The Panasonic G9 has outside dimensions of 137mm x 97mm x 92mm (5.4" x 3.8" x 3.6") with a weight of 658 grams (1.45 lbs) and the Sony A580 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") and a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

See the Panasonic G9 versus Sony A580 in the all new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you have chosen at that moment. The following is the front view measurements comparison of the G9 compared to the A580.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the G9 and A580 is 62 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very tough to see the gap in sensor sizing purely by going through specs. The graphic below may give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the G9 and A580.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have got different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The G9 having a smaller sensor will make shooting shallower DOF tougher and the Panasonic G9 will produce more detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The more recent G9 is going to have an advantage with regard to sensor tech.