Panasonic FH1 vs Sony NEX-6

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic FH1 and Sony NEX-6, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced Mirrorless by companies Panasonic and Sony. There exists a sizable gap among the resolutions of the FH1 (12MP) and NEX-6 (16MP) and the FH1 (1/2.3") and NEX-6 (APS-C) posses totally different sensor sizes.

Photography Glossary

The FH1 was brought out 4 years earlier than the NEX-6 and that is a fairly significant difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-6 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go right into a in depth comparison, here is a simple overview of how the FH1 grades versus the NEX-6 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 & Sony Alpha NEX-6. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH1 Gallery & Sony NEX-6 Gallery.

For anyone who is going to carry your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH1 has physical measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Sony NEX-6 has sizing of 120mm x 67mm x 43mm (4.7" x 2.6" x 1.7") along with a weight of 345 grams (0.76 lbs).

Examine the Panasonic FH1 and Sony NEX-6 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have attached at that moment. Here is a front view dimensions comparison of the FH1 compared to the NEX-6.

Looking at dimensions and weight, the portability rating of the FH1 and NEX-6 is 95 and 85 respectively.

More often than not, its difficult to visualise the gap in sensor sizing simply by viewing technical specs. The photograph below should give you a more clear sense of the sensor sizing in the FH1 and NEX-6.

As you have seen, both of the cameras feature different megapixels and different sensor sizing. The FH1 featuring a smaller sensor will make achieving shallow depth of field tougher and the Sony NEX-6 will result in greater detail having its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also make it easier to crop shots way more aggressively. The older FH1 will be behind when it comes to sensor innovation.