Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A100

Let's look a bit more in depth at the Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A100, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the 3D1 (12MP) and the A100 (10MP) is pretty close but the 3D1 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) enjoy different sensor sizes.

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The 3D1 was revealed 5 years later than the A100 and that is a fairly serious gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of these cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go in to a in-depth comparison, below is a brief highlight of how the 3D1 scores versus the A100 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are available at Panasonic 3D1 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry your camera, you'll have to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic 3D1 comes with physical dimensions of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") having a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Sony A100 has specifications of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A100 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will change dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Here is the front view scale comparison of the 3D1 and the A100.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the 3D1 and A100 is 93 and 64 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to picture the difference in sensor sizing merely by looking through specifications. The graphic underneath will provide you a greater sense of the sensor sizes in the 3D1 and A100.

To sum up, both the cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor sizing. The 3D1 using its smaller sensor is going to make getting bokeh trickier and the Panasonic 3D1 will result in more detail because of its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also help you crop pictures far more aggressively. The fresher 3D1 should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.