Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A580

Following is a detailed review of the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A580, former is a Small Sensor Compact while the other is a Entry-Level DSLR by rivals Panasonic and Sony. The image resolution of the FH3 (14MP) and the A580 (16MP) is very similar but the FH3 (1/2.3") and A580 (APS-C) boast different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was announced 16 months prior to the A580 making them a generation away from each other. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A580 being a Compact SLR camera.

Before diving right into a step-by-step comparison, here is a quick summation of how the FH3 matches up against the A580 in regards to portability, imaging, features and an overall score.

This is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 & Sony Alpha DSLR-A580. The whole galleries are provided at Panasonic FH3 Gallery & Sony A580 Gallery.

If you're planning to carry around your camera regularly, you'll need to think about its weight and dimensions. The Panasonic FH3 enjoys outer dimensions of 98mm x 55mm x 24mm (3.9" x 2.2" x 0.9") having a weight of 165 grams (0.36 lbs) whilst the Sony A580 has dimensions of 137mm x 104mm x 84mm (5.4" x 4.1" x 3.3") accompanied by a weight of 599 grams (1.32 lbs).

Check out the Panasonic FH3 and Sony A580 in our brand new Camera plus Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Remember, the weight of an ILC will vary dependant on the lens you have during that time. Here is a front view physical size comparison of the FH3 vs the A580.

Using size and weight, the portability rating of the FH3 and A580 is 94 and 64 respectively.

Generally, it is very hard to picture the difference between sensor sizes just by reviewing specs. The image underneath will help provide you a more clear sense of the sensor sizes in the FH3 and A580.

As you can plainly see, the 2 cameras have different resolutions and different sensor sizes. The FH3 with its tinier sensor is going to make achieving shallow depth of field more challenging and the Sony A580 will offer more detail with its extra 2MP. Greater resolution will make it easier to crop pics a bit more aggressively. The more aged FH3 is going to be behind in sensor innovation.