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Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550

Portability
93
Imaging
36
Features
36
Overall
36
Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 front
 
Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 front
Portability
63
Imaging
54
Features
65
Overall
58

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Key Specs

Panasonic 3D1
(Full Review)
  • 12MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 3.5" Fixed Screen
  • ISO 100 - 6400
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 1920 x 1080 video
  • 25-100mm (F3.9-5.7) lens
  • 193g - 108 x 58 x 24mm
  • Introduced November 2011
Sony A550
(Full Review)
  • 14MP - APS-C Sensor
  • 3" Tilting Screen
  • ISO 200 - 12800
  • Sensor based Image Stabilization
  • No Video
  • Sony/Minolta Alpha Mount
  • 632g - 137 x 104 x 84mm
  • Introduced December 2009
  • Replaced the Sony A100
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Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Overview

Lets look a bit more closely at the Panasonic 3D1 versus Sony A550, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the 3D1 (12MP) and the A550 (14MP) is pretty similar but the 3D1 (1/2.3") and A550 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor dimensions.

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The 3D1 was unveiled 24 months after the A550 which makes the cameras a generation away from each other. Both of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A550 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before delving in to a more detailed comparison, below is a quick view of how the 3D1 grades versus the A550 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Photography Glossary
	
	

Reasons to pick Panasonic 3D1 over the Sony A550

 3D1 A550 
IntroducedNovember 2011December 2009More modern by 24 months
Screen sizing3.5"3"Bigger screen (+0.5")
Touch screen Quickly navigate

Reasons to pick Sony A550 over the Panasonic 3D1

 A550 3D1 
Manual focus Dial precise focus
Screen typeTiltingFixed Tilting screen
Screen resolution922k460kClearer screen (+462k dot)

Common features in the Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A550

 3D1 A550 
Selfie screen Neither contains selfie screen

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Physical Comparison

For anybody who is intending to carry around your camera regularly, you should take into account its weight and size. The Panasonic 3D1 has got outside measurements of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) while the Sony A550 has specifications of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 632 grams (1.39 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic 3D1 versus Sony A550 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool. Camera Size Comparison with Lenses

Take into consideration, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you select at that time. The following is the front view scale comparison of the 3D1 and the A550.

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 size comparison

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability score of the 3D1 and A550 is 93 and 63 respectively.

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 top view buttons comparison

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Sensor Comparison

Generally, it can be tough to visualise the difference between sensor sizes purely by reviewing specifications. The picture underneath may provide you a more clear sense of the sensor measurements in the 3D1 and A550.

Plainly, each of these cameras enjoy different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The 3D1 having a tinier sensor will make shooting bokeh harder and the Sony A550 will offer you greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop shots far more aggressively. The younger 3D1 is going to have an edge when it comes to sensor technology.

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 sensor size comparison

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Screen and ViewFinder

Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Screen and Viewfinder comparison
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Photography Type Scores

Portrait Comparison

Panasonic 3D1 as a Portrait photography camera
Sony A550 as a Portrait photography camera
27
includes face detect focus
lack of manual focus
no manual mode
can't use external flash
low MP (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
72
you can focus manually
megapixel count decent (14MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
provides face detect focusing
delivers RAW files
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Street Comparison

Panasonic 3D1 Street photography info
Sony A550 Street photography info
61
image stabilization (Optical)
includes touch focus
screen does not articulate
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
74
tilting screen
image stabilization (Sensor based)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW files
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Sports Comparison

Panasonic 3D1 as a Sports photography camera
Sony A550 as a Sports photography camera
30
image stabilization (Optical)
includes tracking focus
max shutter speed is low (1/1,300s)
no shutter priority
low MP (12 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
low battery power (200 per charge)
doesn't have phase detect auto focus
67
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14MP)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
sensor has phase detect AF
bad battery life (480 shots)
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Travel Comparison

Panasonic 3D1 Travel photography features
Sony A550 Travel photography features
59
includes touch focus
built-in flash
fairly wide (25mm)
does not have Timelapse mode
low battery power (200 per charge)
low MP (12 megapixels)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.9)
52
megapixel count decent (14MP)
has built in flash
no Timelapse recording
bad battery life (480 CIPA)
does not have a selfie friendly screen
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Landscape Comparison

Landscape photography with Panasonic 3D1
Landscape photography with Sony A550
36
fairly wide (25mm)
screen larger than average (3.5 inch)
image stabilization (Optical)
lack of manual focus
cannot switch lens (fixed lens mount)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.9)
no manual mode
low MP (12MP)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
doesn't have RAW support
low battery power (200 shots)
does not have Timelapse mode
66
you can focus manually
swap lenses (Sony/Minolta Alpha mount)
decent sized screen (3 inches)
image stabilization (Sensor based)
megapixel count decent (14 megapixels)
decent sensor size (APS-C)
delivers RAW files
bad battery life (480 per charge)
no Timelapse recording
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Vlogging Comparison

Panasonic 3D1 as a Vlogging camera
Sony A550 as a Vlogging camera
34
fairly wide (25mm)
touchscreen enabled
image stabilization (Optical)
includes face detect focus
high res video (1920 x 1080 pxls)
sluggish maximum aperture (f3.9)
doesn't posses selfie friendly display
does not have microphone support
9
no video recording
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Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony A550 Specifications

Detailed spec comparison table for Panasonic 3D1 and Sony A550
 Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
General Information
Company Panasonic Sony
Model Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 Sony Alpha DSLR-A550
Type Small Sensor Compact Entry-Level DSLR
Introduced 2011-11-07 2009-12-09
Physical type Compact Compact SLR
Sensor Information
Processor Chip - Bionz
Sensor type CMOS CMOS
Sensor size 1/2.3" APS-C
Sensor measurements 6.17 x 4.55mm 23.4 x 15.6mm
Sensor area 28.1mm² 365.0mm²
Sensor resolution 12MP 14MP
Anti aliasing filter
Aspect ratio 1:1, 4:3, 3:2 and 16:9 3:2 and 16:9
Peak resolution 4000 x 3000 4592 x 3056
Highest native ISO 6400 12800
Min native ISO 100 200
RAW format
Autofocusing
Manual focus
Touch to focus
Continuous autofocus
Single autofocus
Tracking autofocus
Selective autofocus
Autofocus center weighted
Autofocus multi area
Autofocus live view
Face detection focus
Contract detection focus
Phase detection focus
Number of focus points 23 9
Lens
Lens mount fixed lens Sony/Minolta Alpha
Lens focal range 25-100mm (4.0x) -
Maximal aperture f/3.9-5.7 -
Macro focus range 5cm -
Total lenses - 143
Focal length multiplier 5.8 1.5
Screen
Screen type Fixed Type Tilting
Screen size 3.5" 3"
Resolution of screen 460 thousand dots 922 thousand dots
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch function
Screen tech TFT Full Touch Screen with AR coating -
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder type None Optical (pentamirror)
Viewfinder coverage - 95%
Viewfinder magnification - 0.53x
Features
Minimum shutter speed 60 seconds 30 seconds
Fastest shutter speed 1/1300 seconds 1/4000 seconds
Continuous shutter rate - 7.0fps
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual mode
Exposure compensation - Yes
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Inbuilt flash
Flash range 3.50 m 12.00 m
Flash options Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync Auto, On, Off, Red-Eye, Slow Sync, High Speed Sync, Rear Curtain, Fill-in, Wireless
External flash
AEB
WB bracketing
Fastest flash synchronize - 1/160 seconds
Exposure
Multisegment metering
Average metering
Spot metering
Partial metering
AF area metering
Center weighted metering
Video features
Video resolutions 1920 x 1080 (60, 30 fps), 1280 x 720 (60, 30 fps), 640 x 480 (30 fps) -
Highest video resolution 1920x1080 None
Video format MPEG-4, AVCHD, Motion JPEG -
Microphone port
Headphone port
Connectivity
Wireless None None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec) USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS None None
Physical
Environmental sealing
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight 193 gr (0.43 lbs) 632 gr (1.39 lbs)
Dimensions 108 x 58 x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") 137 x 104 x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3")
DXO scores
DXO Overall score not tested 66
DXO Color Depth score not tested 21.9
DXO Dynamic range score not tested 11.8
DXO Low light score not tested 807
Other
Battery life 200 pictures 480 pictures
Battery type Battery Pack Battery Pack
Battery model - NP-FM500H
Self timer Yes (2 or 10 sec) Yes (2 or 10 sec)
Time lapse shooting
Type of storage SD/SDHC/SDXC, Internal SD/ SDHC, Memory Stick Pro Duo/ Pro-HG Duo
Card slots Single Single
Launch pricing $670 $749