Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A77

The following is a detailed review of the Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A77, one is a Small Sensor Compact and the other is a Advanced DSLR by manufacturers Panasonic and Sony. There exists a big gap among the image resolutions of the FH3 (14MP) and A77 (24MP) and the FH3 (1/2.3") and A77 (APS-C) posses different sensor sizing.

Photography Glossary

The FH3 was manufactured 21 months earlier than the A77 making them a generation away from one another. Both of these cameras have different body design with the Panasonic FH3 being a Compact camera and the Sony A77 being a Mid-size SLR camera.

Before getting straight to a detailed comparison, here is a quick overview of how the FH3 grades vs the A77 when it comes to portability, imaging, features and an overall mark.

Following is a sample of the gallery pics for Panasonic Lumix DMC-FH3 and Sony SLT-A77. The entire galleries are viewable at Panasonic FH3 Gallery and Sony A77 Gallery.

If you're looking to travel with your camera often, you'll need to consider its weight and volume. 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 A77 has sizing of 143mm x 104mm x 81mm (5.6" x 4.1" x 3.2") accompanied by a weight of 732 grams (1.61 lbs).

Check the Panasonic FH3 vs Sony A77 in the latest Camera and Lens Size Comparison Tool.

Always remember, the weight of an Interchangeable Lens Camera will differ based on the lens you are using at that moment. Underneath is a front view proportions comparison of the FH3 versus the A77.

Using dimensions and weight, the portability score of the FH3 and A77 is 94 and 59 respectively.

Normally, it is tough to visualize the difference in sensor dimensions just by going through specifications. The pic underneath will give you a much better sense of the sensor sizing in the FH3 and A77.

To sum up, both of those cameras provide different megapixel count and different sensor dimensions. The FH3 due to its smaller sensor is going to make shooting shallow DOF more challenging and the Sony A77 will provide more detail due to its extra 10MP. Greater resolution will enable you to crop images more aggressively. The more aged FH3 will be behind with regard to sensor innovation.