Panasonic F5 vs Sony A57

Below, we will be contrasting the Panasonic F5 versus Sony A57, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the F5 (14MP) and the A57 (16MP) is pretty well matched but the F5 (1/2.3") and A57 (APS-C) possess different sensor dimensions.

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The F5 was launched 4 months later than the A57 which means that they are both of a similar age. Both cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A57 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving in to a full comparison, below is a simple synopsis of how the F5 grades vs the A57 in relation to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 & Sony SLT-A57. The complete galleries are provided at Panasonic F5 Gallery & Sony A57 Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you are going to need to factor in its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic F5 has outer measurements of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) while the Sony A57 has dimensions of 132mm x 98mm x 81mm (5.2" x 3.9" x 3.2") and a weight of 618 grams (1.36 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic F5 versus Sony A57 in our newest Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you are using during that time. Following is the front view physical size comparison of the F5 compared to the A57.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability score of the F5 and A57 is 96 and 64 respectively.

Typically, it is very tough to picture the contrast between sensor measurements just by looking at technical specs. The photograph here may give you a greater sense of the sensor sizing in the F5 and A57.

As you have seen, each of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The F5 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make getting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony A57 will give you more detail utilizing its extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution will make it easier to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively.