Panasonic FH2 vs Sony A390

Here is a detailed analysis of the Panasonic FH2 and Sony A390, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH2 (14MP) and the A390 (14MP) is pretty similar but the FH2 (1/2.3") and A390 (APS-C) possess different sensor measurements.

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The FH2 was announced 6 months later than the A390 and they are both of a similar age. The two cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A390 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going in to a full comparison, below is a brief summation of how the FH2 scores against the A390 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A390. The whole galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH2 Gallery & Sony A390 Gallery.

If you're aiming to carry your camera regularly, you will need to factor its weight and size. The Panasonic FH2 has outer dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) and the Sony A390 has specifications of 128mm x 97mm x 86mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 3.4") with a weight of 549 grams (1.21 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FH2 and Sony A390 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are using at the time. Underneath is the front view dimensions comparison of the FH2 versus the A390.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH2 and A390 is 96 and 66 respectively.

More often than not, it can be hard to visualize the gap between sensor sizing simply by going over a spec sheet. The photograph below may provide you a much better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH2 and A390.

As you can see, both of these cameras offer the same exact megapixels albeit different sensor sizing. The FH2 has the tinier sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field tougher.