Panasonic FH20 vs Sony A77 II

Below is a extended review of the Panasonic FH20 and Sony A77 II, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Advanced DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. There is a substantial difference among the resolutions of the FH20 (14MP) and A77 II (24MP) and the FH20 (1/2.3") and A77 II (APS-C) feature totally different sensor size.

Japan-exclusive Leica Leitz Phone 3 features big sensor and new modes

The FH20 was launched 5 years earlier than the A77 II and that is a fairly big difference as far as camera tech is concerned. Both cameras offer different body type with the Panasonic FH20 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 II being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before we go in to a complete comparison, below is a concise summary of how the FH20 matches up against the A77 II in the way of portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a preview of the gallery images for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH20 & Sony SLT-A77 II. The complete galleries are available at Panasonic FH20 Gallery & Sony A77 II Gallery.

For those who are looking to lug around your camera regularly, you will want to think about its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH20 provides outside 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 A77 II has measurements of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 647 grams (1.43 lbs).

See the Panasonic FH20 and Sony A77 II in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will differ depending on the lens you select at that moment. Below is the front view scale comparison of the FH20 against the A77 II.

Looking at size and weight, the portability score of the FH20 and A77 II is 93 and 62 respectively.

Often, its hard to envision the contrast in sensor measurements just by researching a spec sheet. The graphic here will give you a clearer sense of the sensor sizing in the FH20 and A77 II.

Clearly, each of these cameras enjoy different resolutions and different sensor measurements. The FH20 because of its smaller sensor will make shooting bokeh tougher and the Sony A77 II will provide you with extra detail utilizing its extra 10 Megapixels. Higher resolution can also help you crop shots far more aggressively. The older FH20 will be disadvantaged in sensor technology.