Panasonic F5 vs Sony A100

Let's look a little more in depth at the Panasonic F5 and Sony A100, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the F5 (14MP) and A100 (10MP) and the F5 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor dimensions.

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The F5 was unveiled 6 years after the A100 which is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go into a thorough comparison, here is a short synopsis of how the F5 grades against the A100 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic F5 Gallery & Sony A100 Gallery.

When you are planning to carry around your camera frequently, you should factor in its weight and measurements. The Panasonic F5 has external measurements of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") along with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony A100 has proportions of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") having a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic F5 and Sony A100 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you are working with at that moment. The following is a front view proportions comparison of the F5 compared to the A100.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the F5 and A100 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Often, it is very hard to see the difference in sensor sizes just by going through specs. The image below will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the F5 and A100.

All in all, both the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The F5 using its smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Panasonic F5 will produce greater detail having an extra 4 Megapixels. Greater resolution will let you crop images way more aggressively. The more recent F5 will have an edge when it comes to sensor tech.