Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A450

Following is a in depth overview of the Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A450, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the 3D1 (12MP) and the A450 (14MP) is fairly well matched but the 3D1 (1/2.3") and A450 (APS-C) use totally different sensor dimensions.

Meta to Introduce 'AI-Generated' Labels for Media starting next month

The 3D1 was manufactured 23 months after the A450 making the cameras a generation away from each other. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A450 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the 3D1 grades versus the A450 in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A450. The entire galleries are available at Panasonic 3D1 Gallery & Sony A450 Gallery.

For anybody who is going to carry around your camera frequently, you're going to have to take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic 3D1 features 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) whilst the Sony A450 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.2") and a weight of 560 grams (1.23 lbs).

Check the Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A450 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you are utilising at the time. The following is the front view overall size comparison of the 3D1 compared to the A450.

Factoring in size and weight, the portability score of the 3D1 and A450 is 93 and 65 respectively.

Often, it's hard to envision the difference between sensor sizes merely by looking at specs. The image below will help give you a greater sense of the sensor dimensions in the 3D1 and A450.

All in all, both of those cameras offer different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 3D1 featuring a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower depth of field trickier and the Sony A450 will give you more detail due to its extra 2MP. Greater resolution can also allow you to crop photos a little more aggressively. The more recent 3D1 will have an advantage with regard to sensor innovation.