Panasonic LX100 II vs Sony A65: A Hands-On Comparison of Large Sensor Compact and Entry-Level DSLR

Choosing the right camera is a journey that goes beyond specs on paper. Having extensively tested both the Panasonic Lumix LX100 II and the Sony SLT-A65 over months in a variety of photographic settings, I’m excited to share a detailed, experience-driven comparison that cuts through marketing and hype. These two cameras, separated by seven years and distinct philosophies - compact large-sensor versus DSLR - offer unique advantages depending on your photographic priorities and lifestyle.

I’ve assessed these cameras across a full spectrum of photography types - from portraits through night sky - and analyzed their technical underpinnings as well as ergonomic design, imaging performance, and workflows. I’ll also provide clear buying advice to help you choose the right tool for your artistic and professional needs.

Physicality and Handling: A Tale of Two Bodies

While a camera’s capabilities are paramount, how it feels in your hands and integrates into a shooting session heavily influences user experience. The Panasonic LX100 II embraces the large sensor compact category with a surprisingly pocketable form factor, whereas the Sony A65 sports a traditional compact SLR design aimed at entry-level DSLR users.

At 115 x 66 x 64 mm and approximately 392 grams, the LX100 II is remarkably compact and lightweight without sacrificing build quality. Its magnesium alloy chassis feels solid, yet light enough to carry all day without fatigue - a real boon for street and travel photographers who prize discretion and portability.

By contrast, the Sony A65 measures 132 x 97 x 81 mm and weighs 622 grams. This heft and bulk provide a more substantial grip and balance, especially when paired with telephoto lenses - a definite advantage for wildlife and sports shooters who demand stable handling over long sessions. Though larger and heavier, the A65’s ergonomic curve and textured grip make it comfortable for extended use. If you’re accustomed to traditional DSLR form factors, it will feel familiar and reassuring.

Top and back control layouts also reflect divergent philosophies.

The LX100 II favors tactile dials for aperture, shutter speed, and exposure compensation clearly marked and intuitively placed, facilitating quick manual adjustments without diving into menus - a photographer's delight that encourages creative control. The single function dial placement is optimized for right-hand thumb and forefinger operation.

The A65 follows classic DSLR ergonomics: dedicated modes, a top LCD panel (though no touchscreen), and more buttons for direct access to various settings. This setup benefits users who like physical buttons over touch interfaces and prefer granular control during fast-paced shooting. However, some may feel the A65’s controls are a bit dated, especially lacking touch capability for menu navigation.

In summary, if portability and ease of manual control attract you, the LX100 II’s design is compelling. If traditional DSLR feels and button-rich control are your preferences, especially for heavy lenses, the A65 wins in ergonomics.

Sensor and Image Quality - The Heart of Photography

At the core of any camera is its sensor. The Panasonic LX100 II employs a Four Thirds sized MOS sensor (17.3 x 13 mm) with 17 megapixels resolution, while the Sony A65 sports a larger APS-C sensor (23.5 x 15.6 mm) at 24 megapixels.

The larger sensor area of the Sony A65 means it naturally gathers more light, resulting in better low-light performance and dynamic range potential. Indeed, DxOMark scores confirm this, with the A65 achieving an overall of 74, including a color depth of 23.4 bits and dynamic range of 12.6 EV, compared to Panasonic’s untested but expectedly lower scores due to the smaller sensor and fewer megapixels.

From my real-world shooting, the Sony’s APS-C sensor produces images with richer detail and cleaner shadows, especially noticeable in landscape and wildlife images where subtle tonal gradations matter. Its output files at 6000x4000 pixels also provide more cropping latitude.

The Panasonic LX100 II’s Four Thirds sensor has the advantage of a notably fast Leica DC Vario-Summilux fast zoom lens (24-75 mm, f/1.7–2.8). This translates to excellent subject isolation and pleasing bokeh in portraits, despite the sensor’s relatively smaller size. Moreover, its native ISO floor begins at 200, which can be limiting in super bright conditions without ND filters, but maxes at 25600, providing flexibility in varied lighting.

I frequently found the LX100 II’s images exhibit a slightly creamier rendition of skin tones, particularly valuable for casual portrait work and street candidness. However, the A65’s higher resolution and sensor size output noticeably sharper files suitable for professional-grade print and cropping needs.

Display and Viewfinder: The Window to Your Creativity

Clear, responsive interfaces are crucial for framing and reviewing. Both cameras offer a 3-inch display, but their implementations differ substantially.

The Panasonic LX100 II’s fixed touchscreen boasts 1240k-dot resolution, much sharper than the 921k-dot display on the Sony A65. This touch interface greatly speeds up selecting focus points, adjusting settings, and reviewing images on the fly. However, the fixed nature restricts flexibility for shooting at tricky angles.

Sony compensates with a fully articulating screen, offering great versatility for video, macro, and low/high angle shooting. Despite lower resolution and no touch support, the articulation is a prized feature for many creative scenarios.

Regarding viewfinders, the LX100 II uses an OLED electronic viewfinder (EVF) at 2,760 dots with 0.7x magnification, providing stunningly crisp, high contrast framing with accurate color reproduction. Its 100% coverage ensures precise composition.

The Sony A65 opts for an electronic viewfinder with 2,359 dots and 0.73x magnification - still excellent but noticeably less sharp compared to the Panasonic’s. Its EVF design supports fast refresh rates and overlays typical of the SLT technology, which uses a semi-transparent mirror allowing phase detection.

In practice, I appreciated the LX100 II’s EVF for its bright, intuitive interface, especially in street photography where quick composition matters. The Sony’s articulating screen is more versatile for studio or macro setups but felt less refined in viewfinder clarity.

Autofocus Performance - Speed, Accuracy, and Tracking

Autofocus can make or break your shooting experience, particularly in sports, wildlife, and fast-paced environments.

• Panasonic LX100 II employs a contrast-detection system with 49 focus points, all combined with face detection for efficient subject locking. It supports touch-to-focus on the screen and continuous AF for video and photo modes.

• Sony A65 combines 15 phase detection AF points and uses translucent mirror SLT technology for continuous autofocus during video and live view. It also can track faces and moving subjects reasonably well.

My extensive autofocus testing revealed clear differences:

• The A65’s phase detection AF delivers snappier focus acquisition, especially tracking moving subjects like runners or pets. Its burst rate of 10 fps with continuous AF is highly practical for action photography.

• The LX100 II, while quick for a compact with 11 fps burst, occasionally hunts in low contrast or fast-moving scenes. Still, for street photography or portraits, its accuracy is reliable.

Neither camera features animal eye AF, a feature more recently introduced in newer models, but both handle face detection well for portraits.

If your primary interest is wildlife or sports photography, the Sony A65’s autofocus system and burst performance provide a clear advantage. For casual, travel, or street shooting where blackout-free, quieter operation and compactness matter, the Panasonic is a compelling choice.

Versatility Across Photography Genres

Let me walk you through how these two cameras performed in various photographic disciplines based on my hands-on use and test shoots.

Portrait Photography

Skin tones need to be rendered naturally, with smooth bokeh and sharp eye focus.

The Panasonic LX100 II’s fast f/1.7-2.8 lens and Four Thirds sensor deliver creamy backgrounds and pleasing color, producing flattering skin tones - even in ambient light. Face detection and eye AF improve focus lock, and the ability to fine-tune aperture manually encourages creativity.

The Sony A65, with its APS-C sensor and wider lens ecosystem, allows pairing with classic portrait lenses with exceptional background separation. I found its images razor-sharp, capturing fine details like eyelashes crisply. However, bokeh texture can feel slightly harsher depending on lenses used.

Landscape Photography

Dynamic range and resolution are key.

The Sony A65’s larger sensor captures more dynamic range, brilliantly preserving highlights and shadow detail - critical for outdoor scenery. I was impressed by its ability to resolve fine textures from tree leaves to rock formations in RAW with highlight recovery options. Weather sealing is absent on both, but careful handling or protection outdoors remains advised.

The Panasonic LX100 II’s resolution and sensor size limit maximum enlargement but deliver excellent image quality for web and print sizes up to A3. Its vibrant color and sharpness are pleasant for travel landscapes.

Wildlife Photography

Autofocus speed plus telephoto reach matter.

Sony’s A65, with its robust AF system and support for 143 native lenses including telephoto primes and zooms, stands out. Its 10 fps drive and tracking capabilities ensure I capture animals on the move with high keeper rates.

The LX100 II’s built-in zoom (24-75 mm equivalent) limits reach and flexibility, more suitable for close-up subjects or casual wildlife viewing.

Sports Photography

Tracking speed and silent shooting often make the difference.

The Sony A65’s burst shooting at 10 fps (buffer permitting) and phase AF make it competent at capturing fast-moving athletes, though its max shutter speed tops out at 1/4000s, which is typical for this class.

Panasonic’s electronic shutter up to 1/16000s is a potential advantage in bright conditions, but the burst mode is less consistent in continuous AF.

Street Photography

Discretion, portability, and responsiveness are king.

Panasonic’s lightweight body, silent electronic shutter, and compact size make it an ideal companion for candid shooting. Its fast lens and autofocus are well-suited to dynamic, spontaneous environments.

The Sony A65 is bulkier with a louder shutter and less discreet appearance, which can draw unwanted attention or inhibit some candid captures.

Macro Photography

Magnification and focus precision crucial.

The Panasonic LX100 II offers a 3 cm macro focusing distance, allowing tight close-ups with excellent detail aided by manual focus and focus peaking modes. Optical stabilization is built-in, aiding handheld close-up sharpness.

Sony A65 relies on lens selection for macro work, and while it supports many macro lenses, its focus stacking and post-focus features are absent.

Night and Astro Photography

High ISO performance and exposure control critical.

Sony A65’s sensor delivers cleaner images at ISO values up to 3200–6400, with a max native ISO of 12800 and boosted to 25600. This facilitates longer exposures with less noise, vital for star fields.

Panasonic LX100 II’s smaller sensor struggles at ISO above 3200, but its manual exposure options and electronic shutter help manage exposures under challenging light.

Video Capabilities

Both cameras support HD and 4K video modes, but with wide differences.

Panasonic LX100 II can record 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) at 30p and 100 Mbps, capturing rich detail, with focus assist and post-focus capabilities useful for video shooters. Built-in stabilization is optical, and the touchscreen assists recording. Unfortunately, it lacks microphone or headphone jacks, limiting audio control.

Sony A65 offers 1080p at up to 60 fps, with a microphone input but no headphone output. Its SLT design provides continuous autofocus during video, but no 4K recording.

If video is a major part of your creative output, the LX100 II’s 4K capability and touchscreen interface make it an excellent compact vlogger or filmmaker tool.

Battery Life and Storage

Sony A65 boasts an excellent 560-shot CIPA rating, favoring extended shooting sessions without frequent recharges - ideal for long events, travel, or wildlife shoots.

Panasonic LX100 II offers 340 shots per charge, reasonable for its class but requiring spare batteries for intensive use.

Both have a single SD card slot supporting SDXC cards, with Sony also accommodating Memory Stick formats.

Connectivity and Workflow Integration

The LX100 II brings built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, allowing easy image transfer and remote control via smartphone apps, helpful for social shooters and travel photographers wanting instant sharing.

Sony A65 lacks modern wireless features but supports Eye-Fi cards for wireless transfers and GPS for geotagging images - an advantage for mapping shots in landscape or travel work.

Both cameras connect via USB, with Sony’s slower USB 2.0 and Panasonic’s more modern USB charging support.

Price and Value: What’s Your Investment?

At around $998, Panasonic’s LX100 II represents a premium compact experience with 4K video, a fast zoom, and tactile controls. Its price tags it as a specialist’s or enthusiast’s pocket camera, delivering remarkable image quality in a small package.

The Sony A65, priced approximately $700, offers a traditional DSLR experience with a larger sensor, more versatile lens mount, and longer battery life. Given its age, it may appeal to budget-conscious buyers or beginners stepping into DSLRs with room to grow into a broader system.

Final Scores and Genre-Specific Performance

Who Should Pick the Panasonic LX100 II?

• Enthusiasts prioritizing portability and discretion - great for street, travel, and casual portraiture.

• Photographers valuing tactile manual controls and fast zooms in one compact unit.

• Video creators needing 4K recording with decent autofocus and stabilization in a small camera.

• Those who’d appreciate a high-quality viewfinder and touchscreen interface.

Who Should Consider the Sony A65?

• Budget-conscious beginners or intermediates wanting an APS-C DSLR system with scope to expand into numerous lenses.

• Wildlife and sports shooters craving fast phase-detection AF and high-speed burst capabilities.

• Landscape and astro photographers demanding clean high-ISO output and large dynamic range.

• Users prioritizing extended battery life and ergonomic heft for long shoots.

Honest Caveats and Considerations

Neither camera provides weather sealing or ruggedization, so outdoor users should plan accordingly.

The LX100 II’s fixed lens limits focal length choices, while the A65 offers vast lens legacy but at the cost of bulk.

Both cameras lack recent innovations like animal eye AF or 4K video in the Sony's case.

Wrapping Up: My Personal Take

Choosing between the Panasonic LX100 II and Sony A65 hinges on your shooting style and priorities. I enjoyed the LX100 II immensely for its blend of image quality, portability, and 4K video packed into a compelling compact body. It’s a camera I frequently pull out for travel, street scenes, and low-light portraiture thanks to its versatility and speed.

The Sony A65, while aged, remains a stalwart for those embracing a traditional DSLR ecosystem, especially for action or landscape photography where sensor size and autofocus speed matter most. It’s a camera that gave me confidence firing off bursts to capture wildlife and vibrant landscapes with ease.

Whichever you pick, you’re investing in cameras with distinct charm and strong capabilities across multiple genres.

For a gallery of my sample shots illustrating these points very visually, see below.

Panasonic LX100 II front Panasonic LX100 II screen back Sony A65 front Sony A65 screen back

If you want the compact power and video flexibility, go Panasonic LX100 II. If you want DSLRs’ tactile control, expansive lenses, and steady performance for stills, go Sony A65.

Happy shooting!

Disclosure: I have no commercial affiliation with Panasonic or Sony. This review reflects months of independent hands-on testing under varied shooting scenarios.