Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A7

Its time to look more closely at the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A7, one being a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Pro Mirrorless by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There is a big difference between the resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and A7 (24MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and A7 (Full frame) offer different sensor size.

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was released 5 years earlier than the A7 and that is quite a big gap as far as tech is concerned. Both cameras feature different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A7 being a SLR-style mirrorless camera.

Before we go straight to a detailed comparison, here is a brief summary of how the FH3 grades versus the A7 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall grade.

Here is a sample of the gallery pictures for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Sony Alpha A7. The complete galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Sony A7 Gallery.

If you are looking to lug around your camera often, you will have to factor its weight and proportions. The Panasonic FH3 features outside measurements of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) and the Sony A7 has measurements of 127mm x 94mm x 48mm (5.0" x 3.7" x 1.9") along with a weight of 474 grams (1.04 lbs).

Contrast the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A7 in the all new Camera with Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Don't forget, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will vary based on the lens you select at that time. Underneath is a front view measurements comparison of the FH3 vs the A7.

Using size and weight, the portability score of the FH3 and A7 is 94 and 78 respectively.

Often, it can be tough to imagine the gap between sensor measurements simply by looking at specs. The photograph underneath might offer you a stronger sense of the sensor measurements in the FH3 and A7.

As you can plainly see, both the cameras come with different megapixels and different sensor measurements. The FH3 featuring a tinier sensor is going to make shooting shallower DOF harder and the Sony A7 will give greater detail as a result of its extra 10 Megapixels. Greater resolution can also let you crop photos a good deal more aggressively. The older FH3 is going to be behind with regard to sensor technology.