Panasonic FH20 vs Sony A100

Below is a in depth review of the Panasonic FH20 and Sony A100, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by competitors Panasonic and Sony. There exists a significant gap among the image resolutions of the FH20 (14MP) and A100 (10MP) and the FH20 (1/2.3") and A100 (APS-C) feature totally different sensor sizing.

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The FH20 was manufactured 3 years later than the A100 and that is a fairly sizable gap as far as camera technology is concerned. Each of the cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A100 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before getting through a more detailed comparison, below is a brief synopsis of how the FH20 matches up versus the A100 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

This is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Sony Alpha DSLR-A100. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Sony A100 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will have to factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH20 enjoys physical dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") accompanied by a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony A100 has sizing of 133mm x 95mm x 71mm (5.2" x 3.7" x 2.8") accompanied by a weight of 638 grams (1.41 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH20 and Sony A100 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you have attached at that moment. Following is the front view sizing comparison of the FH20 compared to the A100.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH20 and A100 is 93 and 64 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to envision the difference in sensor measurements merely by looking through technical specs. The visual here may offer you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the FH20 and A100.

As you have seen, both the cameras offer different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH20 because of its smaller sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic FH20 will result in extra detail due to its extra 4 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots a little more aggressively. The newer FH20 will have a benefit in sensor innovation.