Panasonic FH2 vs Sony A700

Lets look a little more in depth at the Panasonic FH2 versus Sony A700, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH2 (14MP) and the A700 (12MP) is fairly close but the FH2 (1/2.3") and A700 (APS-C) feature different sensor measurements.

Photography Glossary

The FH2 was unveiled 3 years later than the A700 and that is a fairly significant gap as far as camera tech is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH2 being a Compact camera and the Sony A700 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a comprehensive comparison, below is a quick overview of how the FH2 scores versus the A700 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH2 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A700. The full galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH2 Gallery and Sony A700 Gallery.

For anyone who is planning to lug around your camera frequently, you need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH2 has exterior dimensions of 94mm x 54mm x 19mm (3.7" x 2.1" x 0.7") with a weight of 121 grams (0.27 lbs) whilst the Sony A700 has measurements of 142mm x 105mm x 80mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.1") with a weight of 768 grams (1.69 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH2 versus Sony A700 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you are utilizing at that moment. Underneath is the front view overall size comparison of the FH2 against the A700.

Taking into account size and weight, the portability grade of the FH2 and A700 is 96 and 58 respectively.

Oftentimes, it's difficult to imagine the contrast in sensor measurements simply by viewing technical specs. The graphic below will offer you a far better sense of the sensor sizes in the FH2 and A700.

As you can tell, both cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH2 having a smaller sensor is going to make achieving shallow DOF harder and the Panasonic FH2 will provide you with more detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics far more aggressively. The newer FH2 should have a benefit with regard to sensor tech.