Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A500

On this page, we will be comparing the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A500, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the latter is a Entry-Level DSLR by brands Panasonic and Sony. The resolution of the FH3 (14MP) and the A500 (12MP) is relatively similar but the FH3 (1/2.3") and A500 (APS-C) provide totally different sensor dimensions.

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The FH3 was introduced 5 months after the A500 which means that they are of a similar age. Each of the cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A500 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before going right into a in depth comparison, here is a concise overview of how the FH3 grades against the A500 when considering portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Here is a preview of the gallery photos for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A500. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH3 Gallery & Sony A500 Gallery.

For those who are planning to travel with your camera frequently, you'll have to consider its weight and volume. The Panasonic FH3 offers exterior dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") and a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Sony A500 has sizing of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") along with a weight of 630 grams (1.39 lbs).

Look at the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A500 in our brand new Camera & Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Take into account, the weight of an ILC will differ based on the lens you use at that moment. Below is a front view sizing comparison of the FH3 versus the A500.

Factoring in dimensions and weight, the portability grade of the FH3 and A500 is 94 and 63 respectively.

Quite often, it can be difficult to see the contrast between sensor dimensions simply by going over a spec sheet. The pic below should give you a much better sense of the sensor dimensions in the FH3 and A500.

Clearly, each of these cameras have different resolutions and different sensor dimensions. The FH3 having a tinier sensor will make shooting shallow DOF more difficult and the Panasonic FH3 will offer more detail using its extra 2MP. Higher resolution will enable you to crop photographs a bit more aggressively.