Panasonic FH20 vs Sony NEX-F3

Here, we will be matching up the Panasonic FH20 versus Sony NEX-F3, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level Mirrorless by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH20 (14MP) and the NEX-F3 (16MP) is pretty comparable but the FH20 (1/2.3") and NEX-F3 (APS-C) offer different sensor dimensions.

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The FH20 was revealed 3 years earlier than the NEX-F3 and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera technology is concerned. Both of the cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony NEX-F3 being a Rangefinder-style mirrorless camera.

Before going straight to a full comparison, here is a brief view of how the FH20 scores versus the NEX-F3 with respect to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Below is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 & Sony Alpha NEX-F3. The full galleries are provided at Panasonic FH20 Gallery & Sony NEX-F3 Gallery.

In case you're planning to lug around your camera frequently, you'll need to think about its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH20 has physical measurements of 100mm x 56mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") having a weight of 178 grams (0.39 lbs) whilst the Sony NEX-F3 has sizing of 117mm x 67mm x 42mm (4.6" x 2.6" x 1.7") accompanied by a weight of 314 grams (0.69 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH20 versus Sony NEX-F3 in our completely new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into consideration, the weight of an ILC will change depending on the lens you are utilizing at that time. Underneath is a front view dimensions comparison of the FH20 vs the NEX-F3.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH20 and NEX-F3 is 93 and 86 respectively.

More often than not, it's tough to imagine the gap in sensor measurements merely by going through a spec sheet. The graphic here might give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the FH20 and NEX-F3.

Clearly, each of the cameras feature different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH20 with its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony NEX-F3 will show more detail because of its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will also enable you to crop photographs way more aggressively. The older FH20 will be disadvantaged when it comes to sensor innovation.