Panasonic FH1 vs Sony NEX-C3

Below is a in depth assessment of the Panasonic FH1 vs Sony NEX-C3, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a huge difference among the resolutions of the FH1 (12MP) and NEX-C3 (16MP) and the FH1 (1/2.3") and NEX-C3 (APS-C) enjoy totally different sensor size.

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The FH1 was manufactured 19 months earlier than the NEX-C3 which makes the cameras a generation apart from each other. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH1 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-C3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going in to a step-by-step comparison, below is a quick summary of how the FH1 grades against the NEX-C3 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

The following is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH1 and Sony Alpha NEX-C3. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH1 Gallery and Sony NEX-C3 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera often, you should think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH1 comes with outer measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 23mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") with a weight of 163 grams (0.36 lbs) while the Sony NEX-C3 has sizing of 110mm x 60mm x 33mm (4.3" x 2.4" x 1.3") along with a weight of 225 grams (0.50 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FH1 vs Sony NEX-C3 in the latest Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Do not forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary depending on the lens you are using at that moment. The following is the front view physical size comparison of the FH1 and the NEX-C3.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability rating of the FH1 and NEX-C3 is 95 and 91 respectively.

In many cases, it's difficult to envision the difference in sensor measurements purely by seeing a spec sheet. The graphic below might provide you a clearer sense of the sensor measurements in the FH1 and NEX-C3.

Clearly, both cameras posses different megapixel count and different sensor measurements. The FH1 because of its smaller sensor will make achieving bokeh more challenging and the Sony NEX-C3 will produce more detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs somewhat more aggressively. The older FH1 will be disadvantaged with regard to sensor tech.