Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony NEX-F3

Below is a comprehensive review of the Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony NEX-F3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There exists a huge gap among the sensor resolutions of the 3D1 (12MP) and NEX-F3 (16MP) and the 3D1 (1/2.3") and NEX-F3 (APS-C) have different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The 3D1 was announced 9 months earlier than the NEX-F3 and they are both of a similar generation. The two cameras have different body design with the Panasonic 3D1 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-F3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving into a detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the 3D1 scores vs the NEX-F3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-3D1 and Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic 3D1 Gallery and Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

When you are planning to lug around your camera often, you need to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic 3D1 has got external dimensions of 108mm x 58mm x 24mm (4.3" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 193 grams (0.43 lbs) and the Sony NEX-F3 has measurements of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") having a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic 3D1 vs Sony NEX-F3 in the new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ depending on the lens you have at that moment. Below is a front view over all size comparison of the 3D1 against the NEX-F3.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the 3D1 and NEX-F3 is 93 and 86 respectively.

Normally, it's hard to visualize the difference in sensor measurements only by going through specs. The visual underneath will help give you a clearer sense of the sensor dimensions in the 3D1 and NEX-F3.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras provide different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The 3D1 having a smaller sensor is going to make getting shallower depth of field harder and the Sony NEX-F3 will provide extra detail with its extra 4MP. Higher resolution can also enable you to crop photographs more aggressively. The older 3D1 will be behind with regard to sensor technology.