Panasonic FH20 vs Sony NEX-5T

Here is a thorough comparison of the Panasonic FH20 and Sony NEX-5T, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH20 (14MP) and the NEX-5T (16MP) is relatively similar but the FH20 (1/2.3") and NEX-5T (APS-C) have totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FH20 was unveiled 4 years prior to the NEX-5T and that is quite a large gap as far as tech is concerned. Both of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-5T being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before delving straight to a in depth comparison, here is a quick highlight of how the FH20 grades versus the NEX-5T in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall rating.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 and Sony Alpha NEX-5T. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FH20 Gallery and Sony NEX-5T Gallery.

In case you're intending to carry your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH20 has physical dimensions of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") and a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) and the Sony NEX-5T has measurements of 111mm x 59mm x 39mm (4.4" x 2.3" x 1.5") having a weight of 276 grams (0.61 lbs).

Analyze the Panasonic FH20 and Sony NEX-5T in the new Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Keep in mind, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ dependant on the lens you are using at the time. Below is a front view measurement comparison of the FH20 against the NEX-5T.

Considering size and weight, the portability grade of the FH20 and NEX-5T is 93 and 89 respectively.

Generally, its hard to visualise the difference between sensor sizing just by reading specs. The photograph below might provide you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH20 and NEX-5T.

As you can plainly see, both cameras have different megapixel count and different sensor sizing. The FH20 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallower DOF trickier and the Sony NEX-5T will deliver greater detail having an extra 2 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also make it easier to crop pictures a bit more aggressively. The older FH20 is going to be disadvantaged in sensor tech.