Panasonic S1 vs Sony A57

Below is a detailed assessment of the Panasonic S1 vs Sony A57, former being a Pro Mirrorless while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a considerable difference among the image resolutions of the S1 (24MP) and A57 (16MP) and the S1 (Full frame) and A57 (APS-C) provide different sensor dimensions.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The S1 was launched 6 years later than the A57 and that is a fairly large difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic S1 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a concise highlight of how the S1 matches up versus the A57 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DC-S1 & Sony SLT-A57. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic S1 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

For those who are intending to lug around your camera frequently, you will want to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic S1 offers outer dimensions of 149mm x 110mm x 97mm (5.9" x 4.3" x 3.8") and a weight of 1021 grams (2.25 lbs) whilst the Sony A57 has sizing of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic S1 vs Sony A57 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you have attached during that time. Here is a front view proportions comparison of the S1 and the A57.

Considering size and weight, the portability score of the S1 and A57 is 54 and 64 respectively.

Oftentimes, it is very hard to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements merely by viewing a spec sheet. The graphic underneath will help offer you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the S1 and A57.

As you can see, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The S1 featuring a bigger sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF simpler and the Panasonic S1 will render extra detail utilizing its extra 8 Megapixels. Higher resolution will let you crop pictures more aggressively. The fresher S1 provides an advantage when it comes to sensor technology.