Panasonic FH27 vs Sony A380

Let's look much closer at the Panasonic FH27 and Sony A380, former being a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH27 (16MP) and the A380 (14MP) is very similar but the FH27 (1/2.3") and A380 (APS-C) come with totally different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FH27 was released 17 months later than the A380 making the cameras a generation apart from one another. Each of these cameras come with different body type with the Panasonic FH27 being a Compact camera and the Sony A380 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before we go straight into a complete comparison, below is a simple summation of how the FH27 matches up against the A380 with regard to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH27 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A380. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH27 Gallery & Sony A380 Gallery.

If you are going to lug around your camera often, you are going to need to factor in its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH27 enjoys outer measurements of 99mm x 57mm x 28mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 1.1") and a weight of 152 grams (0.34 lbs) and the Sony A380 has measurements of 128mm x 97mm x 71mm (5.0" x 3.8" x 2.8") along with a weight of 519 grams (1.14 lbs).

Take a look at the Panasonic FH27 and Sony A380 in our completely new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember that, the weight of an ILC will vary depending on the lens you have chosen at the time. Underneath is the front view size comparison of the FH27 and the A380.

Considering dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH27 and A380 is 94 and 68 respectively.

Typically, its tough to visualise the contrast between sensor measurements just by going over technical specs. The visual below will give you a stronger sense of the sensor sizing in the FH27 and A380.

As you have seen, both of the cameras have got different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH27 due to its tinier sensor will make getting shallower depth of field more difficult and the Panasonic FH27 will deliver greater detail as a result of its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will also let you crop pics much more aggressively. The more recent FH27 will have an advantage with regard to sensor technology.