Panasonic F5 vs Sony A58

Its time to look closer at the Panasonic F5 and Sony A58, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a substantial gap among the image resolutions of the F5 (14MP) and A58 (20MP) and the F5 (1/2.3") and A58 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The F5 was announced 10 months prior to the A58 so they are of a similar age. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic F5 being a Compact camera and the Sony A58 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going through a comprehensive comparison, below is a simple highlight of how the F5 grades vs the A58 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-F5 & Sony SLT-A58. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic F5 Gallery & Sony A58 Gallery.

For anybody who is planning to carry around your camera regularly, you will need to think about its weight and size. The Panasonic F5 provides exterior measurements of 97mm x 58mm x 22mm (3.8" x 2.3" x 0.9") and a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Sony A58 has specifications of 129mm x 95mm x 78mm (5.1" x 3.7" x 3.1") accompanied by a weight of 492 grams (1.08 lbs).

Check the Panasonic F5 and Sony A58 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Bear in mind, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you choose at the time. Below is the front view dimension comparison of the F5 compared to the A58.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the F5 and A58 is 96 and 68 respectively.

Typically, it's tough to visualise the difference in sensor sizes purely by researching a spec sheet. The picture below may provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the F5 and A58.

Clearly, both the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor sizes. The F5 having a smaller sensor will make achieving shallower DOF tougher and the Sony A58 will result in greater detail with its extra 6MP. Greater resolution will also help you crop photos much more aggressively. The more aged F5 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.