Panasonic FH20 vs Sony NEX-5

Following is a in-depth review of the Panasonic FH20 vs Sony NEX-5, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The sensor resolution of the FH20 (14MP) and the NEX-5 (14MP) is fairly close but the FH20 (1/2.3") and NEX-5 (APS-C) boast totally different sensor size.

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The FH20 was launched 5 months prior to the NEX-5 so they are of a similar age. Both the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a quick synopsis of how the FH20 scores versus the NEX-5 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

Following is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 & Sony Alpha NEX-5. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH20 Gallery & Sony NEX-5 Gallery.

For those who are going to carry around your camera often, you should factor in its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH20 has physical measurements of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") along with a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-5 has sizing of 111mm x 59mm x 38mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") along with a weight of 287 grams (0.63 lbs).

See the Panasonic FH20 vs Sony NEX-5 in our newest Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the FH20 compared to the NEX-5.

Taking into consideration size and weight, the portability rating of the FH20 and NEX-5 is 93 and 89 respectively.

Usually, its tough to envision the gap in sensor sizes just by looking through specifications. The picture here will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the FH20 and NEX-5.

To sum up, both of those cameras come with the identical resolution but not the same sensor sizes. The FH20 features the smaller sensor which should make achieving shallow depth of field tougher.