Panasonic FH1 vs Sony A560

Here is a thorough overview of the Panasonic FH1 vs Sony A560, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by companies Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH1 (12MP) and the A560 (14MP) is pretty well matched but the FH1 (1/2.3") and A560 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FH1 was released 7 months earlier than the A560 so they are both of a similar age. Both the cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Sony A560 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a step-by-step comparison, below is a concise summation of how the FH1 scores against the A560 with regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A560. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH1 Gallery & Sony A560 Gallery.

For anyone who is intending to carry your camera regularly, you should consider its weight and measurements. The Panasonic FH1 provides outer dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") accompanied by a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Sony A560 has proportions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") having a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FH1 vs Sony A560 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ dependant on the lens you use during that time. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the FH1 compared to the A560.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH1 and A560 is 95 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it is very tough to envision the contrast between sensor sizing simply by looking at a spec sheet. The visual below might give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizes in the FH1 and A560.

Clearly, both of the cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FH1 because of its tinier sensor will make shooting shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony A560 will give more detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will allow you to crop pictures somewhat more aggressively. The older FH1 is going to be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.